The New Beginning
by Jaide DM
Summary: Set immediately after Episode 24 of Season One, The Proposal. Seth, Ryan, Marissa, and Summer go on a trip to San Diego. All seems well at first, but nothing could prepare them for who they would meet. RM, SS. Complete! Sequel in the works.
1. The Plan

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter One: The Plan**

* * *

"Look man, it's foolproof." 

Ryan tossed a small handful of cereal into his mouth, both eyebrows raising at the idea that any plan that Seth devised was "foolproof". Taking a swig of orange juice, Seth shrugged, and continued on.

"Okay, maybe not quite foolproof, but brilliant all the same." He paused, leaning on the counter. "We can leave right after school today, bringing our respective ladies with us, and be in San Diego in a couple of hours."

"I dunno." Ryan said, frowning thoughtfully.

"Dude, that will give us-" Seth hesitated, counting on his fingers. "-two whole days away from this crazy concept of a Cohen and Cooper union."

"What about your parents?"

"I'll take care of that hurdle. You and Marissa are together again, right? What better opportunity to express this than by taking her away from Newport for the weekend? You have nothing to lose."

"Fine." Ryan said, sighing. "But this had better not become another Los Angeles."

"I promise you, I will keep the strippers and self-absorbed teen drama stars at bay."

"Strippers? What place does that have with breakfast?"

Sandy Cohen had entered from the living room, cup of coffee in hand. Both bushy eyebrows had been drawn up at the inquired word, his face stuck between amusement and serious consideration of the topic at hand.

"Everything." Seth said matter-of-factly. "Dad, we're going to San Diego for the weekend."

"What's in San Diego?"

"Well, it's more what's not in San Diego. And that would be what I like to call the Coophen Factor."

"The Coopwhatnow?" Ryan inquired, clearly puzzled.

"Hell, if we're dodging that, I'm coming to San Diego with you guys." Sandy said, working on his coffee. "When were you planning on leaving?"

Ryan opened his mouth to speak, only to have his words come right out of Seth instead.

"Right after school. We'll be back on Sunday. If that's okay?"

"I think we should ask your mother."

"Don't ask me anything." Kirsten said, half hopping into the room as she rubbed the top of her foot.

"What are you doing, woman who birthed me?"

Kirsten shot Seth a look that was intended to make him hold his tongue. All it elicited from the teenager was a shrug.

"Mom's fine, you know. These shoes are driving me crazy. What kind of working woman wears these?"

"You, apparently." Ryan said, his seldom present wit rearing up. "Looked like Yogalates to me."

"Great. You've definitely been hanging around Seth too long."

"Brothers, mother." Seth said, grinning.

"Yogalates." Sandy said, smiling and shaking his head at the concept. "Now that's a union up to par with the Coophen Factor."

"The Coopwhatnow?" Kirsten inquired.

"That's what I said." Ryan commented.

"Cooper, Cohen, never mind. The boys want to go to San Diego for the weekend." Sandy explained, taking a sip of his coffee.

"What's in San Diego?"

"A decisive lack of Julie Cooper." Ryan commented.

"Decisive, that's a big word for you." Seth said, furrowing his brow and nodding.

"Thanks. Been sleeping with a thesaurus." Ryan explained.

"Relationship seems a little one-sided to me." Seth shot back.

Kirsten stopped rubbing her foot and leaned on the island, glancing back and forth between both boys. They had been in high spirits lately, which was good. She had been happy that Ryan and Marissa got back together. One didn't seem to function as well in the absence of the other.

"Well, if it could get me away from Julie, I might have to come with you."

"Mom, please, there isn't enough Merlot in all of Southern California to get you away from it. You think San Diego would work?"

All Kirsten could do was shrug, glancing over at her husband.

"I don't see a problem with it."

"Sweet." Seth said, clenching his fist tightly. "San Diego, here we come."

* * *

If Ryan had to heave one more overly heavy bag into the back of the Cohen's car, he wouldn't have a spine to hold his body upright. He had just finished loading both girls luggage into the SUV, and it seemed as though they had packed for the Apocalypse as opposed to a weekend away. Then again, with the upcoming wedding, the End of the World might not be far off. 

"Excellent work Ryan. That's why you're the brawn." Seth came from the front door, clapping.

"Yeah yeah." Ryan said, slamming down the cargo door. "Are they ready?"

"I hope. They had to do that whole "two-girl urination" thing. The concept still escapes me."

"So, we can expect to get down there by Sunday?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

* * *

"Listen Coop, you're just nervous." 

"Maybe, but after everything that happened, can it still be the same?"

"Probably not." Summer said, staring into the bathroom mirror and rubbing her thumb across her chin. "But it can't hurt to try, can it?"

"It's just that I don't want to get this second chance, and mess it up again. Maybe I should take it slow this time?"

"Well, can you take it slow down there?"

"Oh, yeah, we should get going."

* * *

"_Finally_." Seth exclaimed, exasperated. 

"Shut it Cohen."

"As you wish my ever so witty and pretty girlfriend, though you know you'd be completely bored without my repartee."

"You mean completely content. Maybe even overjoyed."

Seth just made a face, opening the drivers door as Marissa and Ryan climbed in the back. Summer hesitated for a moment before jumping into the passenger seat, her eyes narrower at her boyfriend.

"Why are you driving. If I remember correctly, it was your fault we were so late getting to Tijuana."

"Oh please, if somebody hadn't grabbed the wheel like a crazed orangutan."

"What do monkeys have to do with this?" Summer shot back.

"I don't know really. I just like to say it. Orangutan."

"Yogalates." Ryan said calmly from the back, smirking as a sputtered laugh escaped Seth.

"Yeah, let's just hope this goes a little better than _that_ trip." Marissa said, smiling in spite of herself.

"Hey not everything went bad going to Mexico." Ryan said, referring to the night they spent in Paradise Motel.

"That's true." Marissa replied, leaning over toward him. "But I expect this to go a lot better anyway."

The couple kissed chastely, Marissa sliding across the back seat to get closer to him. The next few weren't quite as innocent, and Seth cleared his throat to point that fact out.

"Look, just don't fog up the windows. A brother's gotta drive here."

Marissa simply made a face at him, snuggling up against Ryan and closing her eyes. Ryan sat there as Seth and Summer continued their banter from the front seat, pulling out of the cul de sac and beginning the adventure to San Diego. Before too long, he too closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

"I think they're both out." Summer said, having turned around in her seat to look back at the two teenagers. "They look so cute together. To think, a year ago she didn't even know Ryan."

"Pretty crazy huh?"

"Coop and Chino; Who would have guessed it?"

"Well, Luke did, for one. Why do you think he had the entire Water Polo team on a collision course with us?"

"I'll bet I know who won that fight."

Seth laughed mockingly, making a face at his girlfriend, before turning his attention back on the road. He merged onto The Five. Interstate Highway 5 had been labeled with "the" for as long as Seth could remember. In fact, many things in California were similar. The Orange County, as ridiculous as it sounded, was a prime example.

"I'm a lover, not a fighter. And I'll have you know I took quite a good punch. And Ryan laid Luke clean out. Good times."

"It all seems like so long ago."

"Yep. Since then we've had a psychotic gun toting stalker, one love triangle, one love rhombus, and more high class fistfights than ever in Newport History."

"What are you getting at Cohen?" Summer asked, glancing over at him.

"Just that since Ryan got her, this place pretty much rocks." He said, glancing in the rearview mirror toward the city they had left behind.

* * *

**Author's Note:** My second run at an OC Fic. This one takes place after The Proposal, right after Ryan and Marissa get back together, but before the Theresa drama. A little getaway for the two couples. Let me know what you think of the first chapter. I'm hoping I got the characters down good. 


	2. The Gaslamp

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter Two: The Gaslamp**

* * *

"Ew, is he drooling?" 

"Cohen, you just said ew!"

"Oh great. You're rubbing off on me Summer."

"Well, don't expect me to be rubbing _on_ you."

"As if you could resist my suave charm and devilish good looks."

"Gag me."

"Should we wake them?"

"Well, unless you plan on carrying them into the hotel, I guess we have to."

Even as they argued, Ryan was coming around. He opened one eye and, seeing that the sun was on its way down the horizon and that the car had stopped, realized they must be at their destination. He and Marissa had slept the entire ride.

Shaking his head to dispel the sleep from his eyes, he sat up a little, squeezing Marissa's arm to rouse her. She groaned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes drearily. A yawn escaped her lips as she looked out the window.

"Are we in San Diego?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, just got here. We're at the hotel." Seth said, still sitting in his seat.

The door on Marissa's side opened to show Summer standing impatiently, one hand on her hip.

"C'mon Coop, let's get in there. Ryan and Seth will get the bags."

Summer practically dragged her friend out of the vehicle, though Marissa paused long enough to glance back at Ryan, smile, and squeeze his hand tightly. Then they were gone, and both boyfriends we alone in the SUV.

"So… Mr. Brawn."

"I'll get the bags."

"Sweet."

* * *

The Paradise Point Resort and Spa was situated in Mission Bay, near the coast and only minutes away from Downtown San Diego. It was a 44 acre island resort, with miniature golf, spa services, (For Summer) tennis, (For Marissa), and sailing (For Seth). As it was, the only one without a hobby that the resort catered to was Ryan. Maybe if he could find a game of poker, he could do a little card counting and make some money. 

The four teenagers had gathered in Seth and Summer's room, which was connected by an adjoining door to Ryan and Marissa's. Ryan still wasn't sure how he felt about that. He and Marissa were a couple again, yes. It had been his own doing, yes. But still he was a little wary. The gap created from Oliver was wide, and Ryan wouldn't delude himself into believing that it had been completely closed. He took a long time to heal sometimes.

Seth and Summer sat on the California king sized bed in their room, looking through a list of activities to be done at the hotel. Marissa and Ryan sat on the sofa in their room, close enough to feel each others heat.

"Maybe I can drag you all out in a sailboat." Seth said, rubbing his chin deviously.

"Um, yeah, sailboats are pushed by the wind." Summer said, making a face. "I don't rely on nature for travel."

"Ryan went out with me once, it was a blast, wasn't it buddy?" Seth asked, looking to Ryan for support.

"Yeah, it was fun." He said, and Seth grinned triumphantly at his girlfriend. "But I'd like to just take it easy. Relax, you know?"

Summer stuck her tongue out at Seth, and he almost pushed her off the bed. When it came to a battle of wills and strength, however, Summer had the upper hand, so Seth quickly conceded defeat. It wasn't that he was physically weaker, just less inclined to apply himself to it.

"Why don't we go out and get something to eat? Visit the downtown?" Marissa suggested with a shrug. "I mean, I've never been down to San Diego."

"Yeah, me either." Summer and Ryan replied in unison.

"I came down here last year with my mom." Seth said, sitting up on the bed. "I know my way around well enough."

Three sets of eyes were locked onto Seth, inquisitive all around. He rocked his head back and forth for a moment before finally responding.

"Comic book convention." He said as an explanation, none of them were surprised. "Look, I just know how to get around. So where we going?"

"I dunno." Marissa said. "Just downtown?"

"The Gaslamp District then."

"They got any good malls around here?" Summer asked, rolling off the bed and onto her feet.

"Leave it to you to think of shopping."

"Trouser it Cohen."

"No Summer, my trousers are your gig."

"Actually." Marissa interjected. "I wouldn't mind swinging by the mall, if that's okay?"

She glanced sideways at Ryan, smiling warmly. He nodded his approval. Seth threw both hands up in defeat, having clambered up off the bed.

"_Fine_. Horton Plaza is downtown. That should do."

Ryan and Marissa got up as well, unconsciously interlocking their hands.

"So," Ryan said. "We're off?"

* * *

Two hours and two Newport boys with armloads of shopping bags later, the foursome arrived at the Bella Luna. It was a small Italian restaurant in the Gaslamp, that they happened to stumble across. It looked adequate for Summer, and that was good enough for the rest of them. Trying to enjoy a meal in a place she didn't approve would be more trouble than it was worth. 

The meal was mostly uneventful. Conversation was made, and Seth and Summer got into another mini-argument that was essentially the basis for their relationship. Ryan and Marissa walked a different path, remaining mostly silent throughout. Ryan noticed that his girlfriend had scarcely taken her eyes off of him the entire time, and more often than once her hand had sought his.

It wasn't something that had happened often between them. When they had dated before it was a lot of physical contact of a different caliber, and Ryan didn't really know how to react to this new development. He wasn't as openly affectionate as most, and hand-holding wasn't something he was accustomed to.

As the left the restaurant, Marissa even took two of the bags he was carrying so she could have his hand. Unlike Seth, Ryan had played the White Knight and carried them without Marissa offering or asking. Summer had forced her man to follow suit. The two couples ambled down the downtown streets of San Diego, with no real destination in mind.

"Well, where to now?" Ryan asked, his question directed mostly at Marissa.

"What are the beaches like down here Cohen?" Summer asked, flipping her purse from one shoulder to another as he struggled with her bags.

"They're probably dark Summer, seeing as it's night and all. And I'll bet they're covered in sand."

His response elicited a glare from Summer and a laugh from Marissa. Taking his cue from his girlfriend, Seth contemplated the question momentarily.

"Well, Pacific Beach is kind-of nice." He said. "We could head over there for a bit."

"Sounds like a plan." Ryan attended, giving finality to the idea.

* * *

"I think both of my shoulders came out of their sockets." Seth said, stretching his arms as they walked away from the car. 

"Don't be such a sissy, Cohen." Summer piped in.

"Quiet woman. It's not my fault you bought enough clothes to last one of those poor South African kids a lifetime."

"I like to match, you should try it sometime."

"Well, the Christian Children's fund will be pushing the Roberts family extra hard for donations this year, should they see your spending habits."

They had reached a concrete wall separating the pavement from the beach, which Seth tried to nimbly vault with his mad skateboarding skills. It would have been flawless, had Summer not chosen at that very moment to push him. He ended up getting a face full of sand instead. Ryan and Marissa laughed, still attached at the hand.

"Down in the dirt where you belong." Summer said, having stepped _around_ the barricade to stand over him.

"Correction." He said, grasping both of Summer's legs. "Where _we_ belong."

He then pulled the girl off of her feet. She landed on her butt in the sand, mouth agape at the idea that he dared to attempt such a thing. Seth was already springing to his feet in anticipation of her response, which was short behind.

"You're a dead man, Cohen!"

"You've gotta catch me first princess."

As Summer jumped up and chased Seth toward the surf, Ryan and Marissa settled down on the three foot high barricade. She traded his hand for his arm, and wrapped both of her slender arms around his more muscular right bicep. For a long moment the two just stared at their friends, smiling, as Summer threatened to push Seth into the ocean.

"How you doing?" Ryan asked finally, breaking the silence.

"Actually, I'm having fun." She said, locking her eyes onto his. "Like L.A."

"We haven't gotten thrown out of anything yet, but give me time." Ryan replied.

Marissa smiled, leaning over to kiss him gently. She leaned back, her eyes searching his as she clung to him.

"Thank you for this." She said quietly.

"It's Seth you should be thanking. The San Diego was his idea."

"No, I mean… this." She said, indicating their closeness with a nod of the head. "Giving me a second chance."

"My life is all about second chances. New beginnings. I decided you were worth it."

"Keep talking like that, and sharing a room might not be so awkward."

Ryan stared at her for a moment, his face a calm mystery. Then he leaned over and kissed her, much deeper and more forcefully than she had moments before. She met him in determination and passion, letting go of his arm with one hand to wrap an arm around his back. After several long moments they broke contact, each catching up on the breath they had missed.

Upon surveying Summer's progress in drowning her boyfriend, they found that Seth had managed to stay mostly dry beneath the mostly full moon, and at the same time soak the entire front of Summer's jeans. They couldn't help but laugh as she hurled a handful of sand his direction, and at the sputtering cough he let out in response.

"What about your mom and Caleb?" Ryan asked, staring out at the sea.

"I really don't want to think about it." She said, pausing. "I guess, whatever happens, everything will work out, right?"

"Right. We can worry about the Coophen Factor when we get back."

Marissa tilted her head, her expression mildly confused.

"Cohen, I'm gonna make you wish you'd never been born!" Summer shouted from down by the surf.

"Been wishing that for weeks, sweetheart."

"The Coopwhatnow?"

"Exactly."

* * *

The fabulous four got back to the hotel some time later, Marissa and Summer in front with Ryan and Seth, and shopping bags, in tow. The expression on Seth's face made it seem as though he were carrying bags full of bowling balls as opposed to clothes, though Ryan didn't seem to mind in the least. His eyes were downcast, so it seemed that he was once more in a "brooding" mood. 

"C'mon Coop, you're lagging behind."

Ryan glanced up to see Marissa staring back at him, having slowed to do so. Ryan smiled reassuringly at her, and she returned it with the most radiant smile he'd seen from her in ages. Then she turned and caught up with Summer, as the two girls stepped into a lounge just past the lobby. Summer had changed into an outfit she bought that day, as she had been liberally covered with sand and saltwater by the time the left the beach.

"Marissa seems happy."

"I think she is." Ryan said with a nod. "Maybe San Diego wasn't such a bad idea after all."

"I told you man." He said, shuffling ahead. "That's why I'm The Brains."

"Yeah yeah, don't get a big head."

They followed the girls into the lounge, tossing the shopping bags on the floor near a pool table. Summer was already racking the balls, with Marissa leaning on the table.

"You guys up for a doubles match?" Marissa said, motioning to the table. "Me and Summ against you two."

"I don't really do pool." Seth said, making an exaggerated mimic of shooting pool with his arms.

Ryan sidled up next to his friend, a small smile touching his lips.

"You think I'm good at poker?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, you got that card counting trick from your mom, right?"

"I'm better at this."

Seth glanced at Ryan, who raised his eyebrows and nodded. Seth then turned his attention to the girls, clapping his hands together loudly and striding to the pool table.

"Let's do this then. A little eight ball? Get my eight ball on."

It quickly became clear that Ryan was being modest about his skill. He ran the table, even after Seth managed to put away two of the girl's balls. In the same pocket. Their victory was assured, quick, and full of bragging on Seth's part. As soon as Ryan had sank the eight ball, leaning back to smile at the girls, Marissa sauntered over to him.

"I want a rematch." She said, slipping both arms around his waist.

"Sure, I wouldn't mind winning again."

"A little overconfident, are we?"

"Maybe a little." Ryan said, smiling. "Did you notice we're gonna be spending another night in Paradise?"

Marissa smiled, catching on immediately. He meant the Paradise Motel; The run down place they had stayed on the way to Tijuana. The night that she had ended up in his arms without meaning to. Hooking two fingers on each hand into his belt loops, she kissed him, and one kiss turned into several. They exchanged a series of small, meaningful pecks while Seth and Summer argued and re-racked the balls. Ryan was just about to pull away when a voice from behind him stopped him cold.

"Hey guys."

He hadn't expected to hear that inflection ever again, and it immediately raised the hair on the back of his neck. He felt Marissa's lips purse beneath his, as she recognized it as well. Ryan spun away from her, his eyes narrowing.

"Oliver." He snarled unintentionally. "What the _hell_ are you doing here?"

* * *

**Author's Note: **Expecting that, by chance? I figured not. His presence in San Diego will be explained in later chapters, and I'm still debating whether I want him to be a villain again, or a changed man. It's still up in the air at this point. Tell me what you think? I believe I stayed in character pretty well. 


	3. The Complication

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter Three: The Complication**

* * *

Ryan instinctively stepped in front of Marissa, his eyes burning into Oliver's. He glanced back at Seth and Summer, who had been shocked into silence. They stood next to the pool table and stared, awestruck, at the boy they believed to be locked up in a mental ward somewhere. Ryan turned his attention back to Oliver, not comfortable looking away from him for more than a moment. He felt Marissa's hand on his arm, though whether it was to keep him from introducing his fist to Oliver's face or for comfort, he couldn't tell. 

"Get out of here. Now." Ryan said, his voice strained.

"Just calm down." Oliver said, and for once he wasn't wearing that smug smile of his. "I'm… better. My parents co-own this hotel, and I'm staying here while I undergo therapy. It's a funny coincidence you came here."

He smiled then, though Ryan noted that, for once, it seemed genuine. His eyes had lost that glint that had made him initially wary of the boy, though Ryan didn't let his guard down in the least. He wouldn't let the psycho near Marissa. Period.

"It's a funny coincidence that you're gonna be staying somewhere else, starting tonight."

"I can't." He said, no longer smiling. "They've got me on suicide watch."

He motioned to a man sitting nearby with his head. The man was watching Oliver impassively, though it was obvious that Trask was the object of his attention.

"They call it 'manic depressive attachment', or something like that. I'm on medication for it, and of course, seeing a therapist."

"Good for you. You can be on your medication away from us."

"Well, I was just wondering if I could talk to Marissa." He said, smiling shyly. "You're welcome to be there, of course."

"Hell no." Ryan said bluntly, taking his girlfriends hand.

He strode away from Oliver, heading straight to their rooms. No doubt Oliver would know which rooms they were in. His presence there was no coincidence, as he claimed it was. He could only be after one thing: Marissa. The last thing Ryan would do was let him get to her.

* * *

Once Ryan had gotten Marissa settled down, as she was shaken up by the entire exchange, he left her to talk with Summer in his room, and walked through the door to the other one. He left the portal open, not willing to let her out of his sight. He wouldn't be comfortable doing it for the remainder of their time in San Diego, however short that may be. 

Seth was sitting on the bed, with the television on. He wasn't watching it though, merely staring off into space. They'd only been back for ten minutes or so, after Ryan stormed out of the lounge and left the bags for Summer and Seth. Neither complained about having to carry them. They understood the situation. Ryan walked over and sat on the side of the bed near his friend, and buried his forehead in his hands.

"I'm feeling a little Seth/Ryan time is needed." Seth said, turning off the set.

"Yeah."

"What do you wanna do about this?"

Ryan looked up at him, his eyes shifting around the room.

"Violence." He said simply.

"Okay, yeah, we could do that." Seth said, moving to sit on the edge of the bed. "Maybe I asked the wrong question. Let's try not what you want, but what you think we should do?"

Ryan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He paused for a moment, thinking over his options. He wasn't willing to risk allowing Oliver to be around her, at all. He didn't trust the boy as far as he could throw him, which was something he was debating on doing.

"We should leave tonight." He said finally. "Right now."

"Okay." Seth said calmly.

"Okay?" Ryan asked, frowning and looking over at Seth. "You're not gonna try and talk me out of it?"

"Hey man, you were right about Oliver last time. I'm not gonna argue about it now. If you think it's best we go, we should go. We need to tell the girls though."

"Right. I'll take care of Marissa, you tell Summer?"

"Yeah." Seth said, making a fist and aimed it at Ryan. "Right here buddy."

They pounded. Ryan got up, ran his fingers through his hair, and walked into his own room. Summer took a cue from his return, smiled, and left. Marissa was sitting on the bed, staring at the floor.

"Hey." Ryan said quietly.

She smiled up at him, both arms wrapped protectively around her stomach. He took one hand and pulled it toward him, gripping it tenaciously. She squeezed his hand tightly, a sigh escaping her lips.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Apparently Ryan's doubt showed on his face, because she went back on her word. "I mean, I will be. I just wasn't ready for… that."

"We're heading back to Newport."

"No." Marissa said simply, her expression locked in place.

"What?" Ryan asked, incredulous. "I'm not letting him near you, Marissa."

"Believe me, I _don't_ want to be around him. Especially now that we're… better. But I'm not gonna let him ruin this weekend. We came here to get away from Newport, and have fun, right? So let's do that. We'll have fun."

"It's hard for me to have fun when he's staying in the same county as us, let alone the same hotel."

"Then I guess I'll just have to make you have fun." Marissa replied, smiling devilishly.

Ryan stared at her for a long moment, a slight smile forming despite their situation. She was taking it very well, considering all that Oliver had put her through. Maybe this little trip was just what they all needed. He considered her words silently, before finally turning to look back into Seth's room.

"Seth. We're staying."

"Mmm, okay man."

From the sound of his response, he was most likely lip locked with Summer. Ryan knew they didn't want to leave, and to be honest, deep down, he didn't either. But he did not want to contend with Oliver. They'd just have to get out of the hotel and avoid him completely. San Diego was a big city, and it shouldn't be a problem.

* * *

It had to be the shortest shower in history. Ryan took only long enough to make sure he was clean, and wash his hair, before bounding from the combination bathtub and shower. The bathroom was cold, and he couldn't help but shiver as he began to dry off. He wasn't willing to hang out in the shower for long, not with Oliver on the loose. Ryan wasn't about to let that creep anywhere near his girlfriend this time around. 

He had instructed her to leave the door between the rooms open while he showered, Marissa having already taken hers, that way all four of them were within earshot of each other. He doubted seriously that Oliver would take it as far as invading their room while he happened to be showering, but he wasn't about to give him the chance.

That's why he was so surprised when, still drying off near the bathroom door, he heard a door close loudly. Ryan wasted not a second, wrapping the towel around his waist. He didn't know why Marissa had closed the door, unless Oliver really had made it into their room. He didn't even want to think of that possibility.

Yanking the door open, water still dropping from his disheveled blonde hair, Ryan burst into the room. Again, with only a towel around his waist. His eyes immediately darted to the door separating the two rooms, which was closed now, as Marissa walked away from it. She stopped in her tracks, a quizzical look forming as she gazed at Ryan's mostly naked form.

"Ryan, you're wearing a towel."

"Why did you close the door?"

"I didn't want to hear Seth and Summer debate on tomorrow's plans anymore."

"Yeah, but Oliver." Ryan said, his voice holding an edge to it he didn't intend on.

"Relax." She said soothingly, walking over and sitting on the bed. "I've got it covered."

Marissa gestured to the door to the hall, Ryan's gaze following it. A glance told him that it was locked, but that wouldn't prevent somebody with a master room key from entering. What would, however, was the chair that had been leaned against it, beneath the handle. Ryan turned to look back at Marissa, a slight smile touching his face.

"You're catching on."

"Learned from the best." She said with a grin. "I had Seth to the same thing in his room. Nobody can come in without us knowing."

Without warning the door between the two rooms swung inward, Seth's voice leading the way. Ryan and Marissa both looked over, unsure of what to do about Ryan's lack of clothes.

"Hey Ryan, I was thinking that tomorrow we could-" Seth stopped in mid-sentence, after fully opening the door and seeing Ryan in only a towel. "Sweet Moses, my bad. I really need to learn to knock."

"What did you do _now_, Cohen?" Summer asked, stepping next to him and into view.

"Yeah, we're uh, gonna go back in our room now." Seth stuttered, beginning to close the door.

"I _knew_ it! You walk in on Ryan changing."

"It's only happened twice! Do they have ESPN Classic in this hotel?"

As soon as the door was closed, Marissa sprang up and moved to it. She locked it, turning to lean against the door.

"Well, that was…"

"Awkward." Ryan said, finishing her sentence.

"I was gonna say wrong." She replied, nodding her head and smiling.

Ryan smirked, glad they were able to joke about events that weren't so far in the past. He glanced down, letting his breath out in one long exhalation.

"Yep, you're still in a towel."

"At least it's not awkward now." He said. "Or wrong."

"Good to know." Marissa said, walking over to him.

She kissed him lightly, both hands on his bare chest. Ryan returned the affection, shivering as the air conditioned breeze ran across his still damp form. Ryan finally pulled away, clutching the towel tightly to him.

"I need to get dressed."

"You know, I'm not so sure you do." Marissa said, tracing one finger over his stomach.

Ryan searched her eyes with his own, trying to sort out if she was serious or just messing with him. The directness of her gaze immediately conveyed her intentions, and Ryan leaned in to kiss her again.

"Then maybe I don't."

* * *

**Author's Note:** So they're staying, and the awkwardness of Ryan and Marissa sharing a room seems to have been washed down the drain. Like the pun? I gotta say, jokes pertaining to the episodes before are as funny, to me, as the joke was then. By all means, I'm open to criticism as well as praise, so feel free to critique the chapter without restraint. A proactive reviewer pointed out that Seth and Summer don't ALWAYS argue, and this is something I know. There's a reason for their constant bickering, which will begin to be explained in Chapter Four. It was also pointed out that Ryan didn't win the Angry Trucker Hat until after The Proposal. That was something I missed, so good looking out. I've since corrected the error. 


	4. The Zoo

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter Four: The Zoo**

* * *

Light was filtering through the closed blinds of the hotel room when Ryan woke up, bathing the bed in subtle light. He was curled up next to Marissa, one arm around her waist and the other beneath her neck. Somewhat dressed again, they seemed to be connected in every way possible beneath the sheets. In her sleep Marissa had twined her ankles with Ryan's, and he could feel her fingers laced with his next to her face. A quick glance at the bedside clock told him it was almost ten in the morning. 

"You awake?" Marissa whispered, her voice barely loud enough to be heard.

"Yeah." Ryan said, yawning. "How long have you been up?"

"An hour or so." She replied leaning over and kissing his hand.

"You could have let me know."

He could feel her shrug against him, and Ryan adjusted his position to make her more comfortable. They had fallen asleep in each others arms, unlike their first night in Paradise. The only similarity was how they had woken up. After a long pause, Marissa spoke again.

"I was just thinking. There can't be too many… hospitals in San Diego. If my mom had sent me down here after I ran to Chino…"

Ryan knew immediately what she was trying to say. She would have been placed in the same institution as Oliver, where it would have been impossible to avoid him. The thought sent chills down Ryan's spine.

"I won't let that happen."

Marissa hesitated for a moment before rolling over to face him. She slid somehow closer still, burying her face in Ryan's bare chest and wrapping both arms around his sides. Ryan grasped the back of her head gently, planting a kiss in her hair.

"We should get up. No doubt Summer and Seth have already planned out our whole day."

Marissa nodded against his torso, before untangling herself from him. They kissed chastely, trying to avoid the onset of morning breath, and she rolled to her feet. She was wearing a pair of cotton shorts and one of his wife beaters, and Ryan couldn't help but stare after her as she walked to the bathroom.

He remained in bed for a few more minutes, finally sliding off the bed. He pulled on a pair of jeans with his white v neck shirt, trying to restore some semblance of order to his hair. Giving up on it, he walked over to the other room, unlocked the door, and knocked.

"Come in." He heard, between what sounded like another Seth/Summer argument.

Ryan stepped inside to see Seth standing on his tiptoes, holding what appeared to be a blue toy horse of some kind out of reach, as Summer struggled to take it from him. Ryan raised both eyebrows, confused as to the nature of this horse.

"Hey Ryan." Seth said, leaning back and holding the horse away from his girlfriend.

"Give it back Cohen!"

"Hell no." He said, grinning. "After all the static you gave me about bringing Captain Oats, you snuck your horse here."

"You brought Captain Oats?" Ryan inquired.

"Not the time man."

"Cohen, if you don't gimme Princess Sparkle right now, I swear you'll never be able to have kids."

"Princess Sparkle?" Ryan asked, noting that it seemed the pair were perfect each other, if their love for inanimate horses was any indication.

Seth immediately covered his crotch with his free hand, struggling to get away from Summer.

"What's going on in here?" Marissa asked, smoothing out her hair as she walked in to stand next to Ryan.

"I really don't know." Ryan said, shaking his head.

"Well, it gives me an idea." Marissa said smiling. "Why don't we go to the zoo?"

"That sounds like a novel idea Marissa." Seth said, his voice strained. "Maybe I'll find a predator for Princess Sparkle here."

"Cohen!"

Ryan turned to his girlfriend, the skin around his eyes crinkling as he frowned.

"You didn't bring Share Bear, did you?"

"Of course not."

"Okay good." He said, smirking. "Because I left my Tommy the Troll Doll in Chino, and I would feel out of place."

"Ryan, I honestly can't tell if you're joking about that or not." Seth said, before he was finally taken to the floor by Summer.

* * *

The group had just entered the Zoo when Seth's cell phone rang, and he extracted it from his pocket. He stared at the phone for a moment, before glancing at Ryan. 

"I left a message for him last night asking him to call. Maybe you should explain the situation."

Ryan took the phone from his friend, clearing his throat as he opened it up. Summer continued walking on, and Seth motioned to him that he was going to follow her. So the two of them separated from Ryan and Marissa then. Marissa slid up next to him, taking his arm in hers.

"Hey Sandy."

"Ryan, Seth said to call?"

"Yeah."

"Is everything okay?"

Ryan glanced over at Marissa, who was staring at the map they had picked up after buying the tickets.

"Not sure."

"Well, what happened."

"We ran into Oliver."

"Oh." Sandy said, accenting that one word in such a way that it seemed to ask a dozen different questions.

"Don't worry, I didn't do anything. Took the high road."

"That's good to know. But just what was he doing down there?"

"Apparently he's seeing a doctor here. We happened to end up in a hotel his parents owned."

"Well, that's great. Are you coming back?"

"No, we decided to stay. We're just going to avoid him. We're at the San Diego Zoo right now."

"Oh yeah, it's really cool. I've been there a couple times myself."

"I'll keep you updated on the situation."

"Thanks Ryan."

Terminating the call, Ryan tucked the phone into his pocket. Summer still had her phone, so Seth could reach him if he needed to. He was glad to have some alone time with Marissa, and he felt that it was good that Seth and Summer go off on their own too. There seemed to be some palpatable tension between them, going a little deeper than casual banter.

"Where to first?" Ryan asked, leaning over to look at the map.

"I was thinking of checking out the reptile exhibit." Marissa said. "Maybe we'll see Oliver there, too."

Ryan laughed, furrowing his eyebrows questioningly. Marissa wasn't the type to take shots at people, but he took comfort in the fact that she didn't trust Oliver. Her animosity toward him was completely justified in Ryan's eyes.

"To the creepy crawlies then."

"No, Cohen, I don't want to see the reptiles."

"Why not Summer? I think it'd be a good place to start."

"You only say that because you'd fit in so well."

"Ouch, your words cut me deep, my lady."

* * *

Seth and Summer walked in awkward silence, as Seth poured over the zoo map and Summer messed with her fingernails. There was something going on with her, Seth had caught that much, though he couldn't put a finger on what. She had seemed more argument prone than usual, and was being unusually harsh in her words, even for Summer. 

As they reached the ape area, Seth finally stopped, turning in front of Summer to force her to a halt as well. He glanced over into the nearest pen and saw, to his surprise, orangutans. He decided to leave the topic alone at the moment, instead opting to confront Summer.

"What's been up with you lately?" He asked, leaning on the railing of the pen.

"What are you talking about?" Summer asked, making a face.

"You've been almost rude to me this entire weekend. And for the life of me, I can't figure out why."

"I have not."

Seth blinked twice, his face making it plain that she was lying right to him. She scoffed a little, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It's nothing." She said finally.

"Obviously it's something. You're acting like you don't even want me here."

"That's not true." She said, her face softening a little. "It's just…"

"Just what Summer?"

"I was talking to Sarah Marks yesterday, you know Sarah, right?"

"Only by name Summer. Remember, I wasn't a part of that crowd."

"She told me I've… changed. That I'm not really the same girl as before."

"Of course you're not Summer. People change all the time. It's part of growing up."

"But not all change is good, Cohen."

"Look, before you wouldn't even talk to a guy like me. Now you're dating someone who you wouldn't give the time of day to before. I'd say that's a good change, for me, at least."

Summer bit her lip, eyes searching Seth's face as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. For a long moment she didn't say anything, just stared at him.

"I'm sorry. I just… I don't like change."

Seth wasn't sure, but it almost looked as though tears had welled up in Summer's eyes. She looked away, taking a shallow breath.

"I've gotta go." She said suddenly, turning and walking away before Seth could even think to stop her.

"Summer, wait." He called, only to be ignored.

Exasperated, Seth threw both hands into the air, turning to rest his elbows on the railing outside of the orangutan habitat. The brown/orange apes stared at him impassively, munching absently on some plant or another.

"Orangutan." He said, resting his forehead on his forearms.

* * *

"Maloo, a male Koala from Queensland Australia." Marissa said, reading the animals description from the plaque on its pen. 

"I guess he's a little cuddly, for a bear." Ryan said, leaning forward to get a better look at Maloo.

The Koala sat on a low hanging tree branch, munching absently on a long stalk of bamboo. He stared right back at Ryan, seeming to size him up.

"It says here Koala's aren't bears at all, but marsupials."

"What, you mean like a Kangaroo?"

"Yes. And it also says they spend seventy-five percent of the day asleep." Marissa said, finally looking up. "So I'd say we're pretty lucky he's awake for us."

"Should have brought a camera, huh?" Ryan said, smiling at his girlfriend.

"Doesn't Seth's phone have one?"

"I think so." Ryan went digging into his pocket for it as he spoke.

Once it was out, Marissa reached over and snatched it out of his hand with a smile. She flipped the phone open and found the camera icon quickly. She took a picture of the Koala, the flash causing Maloo to tilt his head in curiousity before turning the camera on herself.

"Come here." She said, pulling Ryan close to her.

She snapped a picture of the two of them, her smile offsetting Ryan's lack of one. After looking the picture over for a moment, she nodded her approval. She closed the phone, tucking it back into his pocket and kissing Ryan on the cheek.

* * *

Seth wandered the zoo, alone, for maybe an hour before he finally gave up on hunting Summer down. The girl had the properties of a chameleon when she didn't want to be located, and he'd have better luck trying to find a needle in an entire hay _field_. 

So Seth had been reduced to shuffling around, hoping to stumble across Ryan and Marissa. Three heads were better than one if he wanted to find Summer, and he was beginning to get annoyed that she had run off in the first place. He was more worried than annoyed, because it seemed as though something was really wrong with her, and Seth couldn't help her if he couldn't find her.

Rounding a bend, Seth finally saw them dining on animal shaped ice cream bars and sitting down.

"Finally." He said as he approached, exasperated. "Have you guys seen Summer?"

"Yeah." Marissa replied. "Maybe twenty minutes ago, why?"

"She ran off on me, and I've been looking for her ever since."

"She didn't say anything about it." Ryan said, shrugging.

"Right, well, which way did she go?"

"Off that way." Ryan gestured in the right direction.

Seth strode off without another word, leaving both Ryan and Marissa mildly confused, trying to keep their melting ice cream in line.

"You notice there has been tension between them all weekend?" Ryan asked before taking another bite of his bar.

"I did. Didn't pay much attention to it though."

"It's probably nothing anyway." Ryan said with a shrug. "So, where to now?"

"They got lions here, right?"

"It's a world famous zoo, lions are pretty much a necessity."

"Along with tigers and bears."

"Oh my."

Marissa smiled, silently glad Ryan was able to open up more, and joke. It wasn't something she had seen often, but he was beginning to show that side of him more and more as time went on. It was a pleasant change from brooding, moody Ryan.

Practically dragging Ryan and his ice cream off of the bench, Marissa took the lead in the search for the lions. It didn't take long to find them, right near the bears. Leaning against the railing near the lion pen, Ryan and Marissa simply stared at the majestic beasts, who were majestically napping.

"Boring, aren't they?"

Glancing at the sound of the voice, Ryan saw a guy who couldn't be much older than him, wearing a shirt that identified him as a worker at the zoo. He was Hispanic and a little shorter than Ryan was, and he came and stood next to Marissa.

"They pretty much sleep all day." He said, shrugging. "Active at night sometimes. By the way, I'm Marco."

He reached past Marissa for Ryan's hand. Frowning, Ryan shook it, and then watched as he shook hands with Marissa as well. Marco turned his attention back to the cats, running a hand through slicked back black hair.

"More often than not they don't get up for more than a couple hours. Lazy." He said, turning to them again. "You live in San Diego?"

"Uh, no." Ryan replied. "Newport Beach."

"Orange County kids, huh? That's cool."

"So are there any animals in your zoo that _are_ active?" Marissa inquired, more interested in the wildlife than Ryan was.

"Maybe. Been to Tiger River yet?"

Ryan and Marissa both shook their heads, not even sure where that was.

"Well c'mon, I'll show you. I got nothing better to do."

Marissa glanced at Ryan, smiling and shrugging, before following Marco. Ryan glanced at the still sleeping lions, before following suit. Marco seemed friendly enough, and he hadn't set off Ryan's creep radar yet.

"So what brings you all the way down here?" Marco inquired as they walked.

"We just needed to get away for a little while." Marissa replied, smiling sideways at Ryan as she took his hand. "Family issues."

"You like it?" He asked, the question aimed more at Ryan.

"It's cool I guess." Ryan responded, shrugging.

"I've only been here for a year. Moved from Riverside to go to school."

"Riverside?" Ryan asked, his interest peaked. "I'm originally from Chino."

"No shit? Not too far from me then." Marco said, smirking. "You from Chino too?"

"Um, no, I was raised in Newport." Marissa said nervously, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear.

"Nobody can fault you for things you have no choice in."

"Hey, Newport isn't so bad! It's… nice."

"If by nice you mean way too superficial, then yes. Probably live in a big fancy house?"

"No, I live in an apartment with my dad." Marissa shot back, not bothering to mention that she _had_ lived in an expensive house.

"What about you Chino?"

"I live in a pool house."

Marco laughed, and it was infectious enough to get a chuckle out of Ryan and Marissa as well. They had covered most of the distance to the Tiger area already.

"That's cool. For Orange County kids, you seem alright. I haven't even gotten your names yet."

"Ryan."

"Marissa."

"Ryan Chino and Marissa Newport. Got it."

They had arrived at the exhibit, and true to Marco's word, the Tigers were much more active. Two of them were actually play fighting, and another was halfway attempting to scale a tree.

"Definitely more active." Marissa said, leaning forward for a closer look.

"I told you. Didn't I tell her?"

"He did tell you." Ryan said, mocking Marissa's excitement playfully.

"I want one."

"I'm not sure your dad would approve. That's another mouth to feed."

"I'd keep him with my mom. Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll get mauled."

"Should I steal you one?" Marco asked. "Make myself an accessory to animalistic manslaughter."

"The way my luck is going, he'd probably attack me instead." Marissa, said, twining her fingers with Ryan's again.

"Uh oh, here comes the boss." Marco said, making a face. "Hey, there's a party tonight. I'm going with a few of my boys."

He took a small piece of paper out of his pocket, and quickly jotted something on it.

"Here's my cell number. If you guys wanna go, just gimme a call and I'll give you directions."

"Thanks man." Ryan said, shaking his hand again.

"Gotta go though. Can't get caught ducking out of work."

He handed the paper to Ryan, who glanced down at it before shrugging and turning his attention to Marissa.

"Could be fun."

"We'll figure it out at the hotel." She said, tugging on his hand. "Let's go find some hippos."

* * *

Author's Note: A trip to the zoo. This chapter almost felt like filler, but it also focused a little more on Summer and Seth, as will the next chapter. I promise you the next couple chapters are going to show some of The O.C. regulars in a different light, for Season One at least. How was Marco? Enjoy. 


	5. The White Knights

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter Five: The White Knights**

* * *

The car ride back was rather awkward. Ryan drove, with Marissa in the passenger seat and Seth and Summer in the back. They didn't speak the entire ride to their hotel, making Ryan wonder what, if anything, they had talked about. Neither seemed mad, just like they weren't in the mood to speak to each other.

Ryan and Marissa managed to keep up a steady stream of chatter, however, which Ryan silently realized was the exact opposite of the normal. Generally it was Summer and Seth who couldn't shut up, with Marissa silent and Ryan "brooding", as Seth so eloquently put it. The complete polar shift surprised him.

Upon reaching the hotel, Ryan and Marissa found themselves without words as well. Ryan knew that what was on his mind was invading his girlfriends as well; They expected to see Oliver again. Still on probation, Ryan hoped he wasn't forced to physically harm Oliver. Before, when he'd hit him, the boy had dropped the charges to get another rung up on the ladder with Marissa. Now that he had nothing to gain from it, he would turn Ryan in without hesitation.

Parking the Range Rover, all four got out wordlessly and strolled into the hotel. Still not speaking, they made their way into the lounge. Nobody suggested it, but it seemed that Seth and Summer, in the lead, didn't want to go to their room. If they were having a fight, Ryan couldn't blame them for not wanting to be stuck alone together. The four of them collapsed onto a sofa, Marissa immediately slipping into her boyfriend's arms. Seth and Summer sat with a distinct distance between them.

"The party!" Marissa exclaimed, and Ryan realized he hadn't told either of their friends about it.

"Oh yeah." He said, leaning forward to look past Summer at his foster brother. "We got invited to a party tonight, you guys wanna go?"

Seth merely shrugged nonchalantly, but Summer seemed to be a little more interested. Ryan took that as two forms of saying yes, and turned back to Marissa. He paused, brow furrowing as he considered the party. He wasn't the most comfortable with Marissa drinking. It often got out of hand, and she wasn't aware of her own limitations when it came to alcohol. Even so, he'd be there with her to keep an eye on her, and he didn't plan on having more than a beer or two.

"Can I get your phone?" Ryan asked her, taking it after Marissa retrieved it from her pocket.

He stood up and walked a little ways away from the others. For reasons he couldn't identify, Ryan wasn't comfortable talking on the phone around other people. Perhaps it was a privacy issue, he didn't know. He quickly dialed the number Marco had given him, and waited as a reggaeton call-back tone came on.

"Hello?" Marco answered, the music playing in the background.

"Hey man. It's Ryan, from the zoo."

"Chino! What's going on?"

"Just wondering if I could get those directions, and if it's cool if I bring a couple more."

"Yeah no problem. Bring whoever. Got a pen and paper?"

He knew he didn't, but Ryan patted the pockets of his jeans in a futile search anyway. Turning back to the sofa, intending to ask one of his friends for one, he found Marissa standing behind him. She was smiling and holding out both a pen and a pad of paper taken from the front desk. He leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the lips before taking them.

"Yeah, go ahead."

What Ryan didn't know, however, is that while he was writing down the address to the apartment where the party was at, he was being eavesdropped on. Just around the corner, out of sight but not earshot, Oliver Trask leaned against the wall, his face a stoic mask.

* * *

The address was in Chula Vista, a part of San Diego just across the United States and Mexico border. The drive there was a repeat of the transit to the hotel, with Ryan and Marissa talking animatedly and the other couple sullen and silent. This time, however, Seth was driving.

They drove past the front of the apartment complex, and it only took a moment to discern where the party was. It had spilled outside the house, a keg full of beer and a dozen or so party goers gathered in the grass outside of a patio. Driving to the guest parking area, Seth threw the Range Rover into the parking spot and got out, still without speaking.

The four of them walked, wordlessly on Seth and Summer's part, to the apartment. Ryan was good at slipping into a party, and this one seemed right up his alley. Gone were the rich, bikini clad blondes and sports car driving Water Polo enthusiasts. It almost reminded him of a Chino party.

As Ryan debated on where to start at, he saw Marco out of the corner of his eye. The older teen motioned for him, calling out from near the keg.

"Chino! Over here!"

Ryan nodded toward him, and all four of them made their way to the group of people outside. Ryan walked straight up to Marco and shook his hand, nodding to a couple of Hispanic guys that were eyeing him, red party cups full of beer in hand.

"I want to introduce you to the party girl herself." He said, putting an arm over Ryan and aiming him at a girl with a tiara on her head. "Say Happy Birthday to Brandy."

The girl who owned the apartment smiled slyly at Ryan. She was already drunk by the looks of her, but coherent enough to understand what was going on around her. Ryan shook her hand more gently than he had Marco's, as introductions were made.

"This is Ryan, and this is Marissa."

"Happy Birthday." Marissa said with a smile.

"Afraid I ain't got your friends names, Chino."

"Seth." A little half wave followed Seth's declaration of identity.

"And who is this fine little piece of ass?"

One of the two guys standing near the keg cut in, his eyes traveling up and down Summer before she could introduce herself. Summer scoffed a reply, shooting a look at Seth as though he should be speaking up for her, before rolling her eyes and walking away without a word. The guy who had made a weak pass at her bit his lip, and both of them watched as she walked inside.

Ryan nodded to Marco, who had gone back to talking with The Birthday Girl, before guiding Marissa inside, Seth right behind him.

* * *

They had been at the party for almost an hour, and Ryan was only halfway through his second beer. He and Marissa had spent most of the night in the kitchen of the apartment, talking with each other and anyone who came over for a shot over the sink. Ryan couldn't help but feel a little at home.

He'd seen Seth and Summer a few times throughout the night, though never together. Summer spent most of her time talking to a few girls she had deemed "cool", and putting away drinks. She was on the fast track to getting hammered. Seth had taken to "brooding" himself, and had spent most of the night watching Summer from afar. Just like the old days. He had gotten into a drinking game at the table near Ryan and Marissa though, which seemed to take his mind off of her for awhile. Or maybe the girl with her top off had.

Ryan didn't notice Seth approach until he was right there. He and Marissa had just settled down onto a couch just outside the kitchen, nursing their drinks and talking as quietly as they could under the backdrop of party sounds and music from the recently rigged up speakers hooked to a laptop.

"Hey, Marissa, I was wondering…"

"No problem." Marissa said before he finished, leaning over to kiss Ryan. "I need to check up on Summ anyway."

She got up and walked away, smiling back at her boyfriend as she walked toward the sliding glass door where Summer was now standing alone.

"What's going on?" Ryan inquired as Seth settled down next to him.

"Is it a bad place for some Seth/Ryan time?" He asked.

"No it's cool. What's up?"

"It's Summer." He said, as though Ryan hadn't known that. "I just don't know what her deal is."

"Did you get into a fight?"

"I don't_ know_!" Seth exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "At the zoo she told me one of her Newport friends told her she had changed, and she made a big deal about it. She ditched me, and hasn't spoken two words to me since. I don't know what to do."

"Well, you're not going to like this…"

"Hit me Atwood, I can take it."

"You need to confront her about it."

"You're right." Seth replied. "I don't like it."

"That's the only way you're going to get to her."

Seth paused for a long moment, glancing out at the patio toward Summer and Marissa. He looked back to Ryan, who merely raised his eyebrows and shrugged.

"Yeah. This is either going to go exceptionally well, or Coophen Factor bad."

"Good luck buddy."

Seth stood up and finished his beer in one fell swoop, before striding as confidently as he could across the living room and toward the sliding glass doors. For Seth, anything other than a shuffle was a feat. Ryan sat back on the sofa, taking a sip of his beer.

"Hey, Chino!" Marco said, walking over to clasp hands with him.

"What's up Chula?"

"Chula? I like that." Marco replied, laughing as Ryan stood.

"It just came to me."

"How's the party?" He asked, motioning to the several empty bottles of liquor by the sink.

"Reminds me of home."

"I been to a Chino party once. Cops showed up twice."

"Sounds about right." Ryan said, shifting his gaze to check on Seth's progress.

What he saw caused him to drown out Marco as he spoke, and set his beer down on the counter next to him. Seth had made it to the large patio, but he wasn't alone by any means. Marissa stood near the door, glancing back at Ryan worriedly. Summer was in the corner of the patio, arguing with the guy that had hit on her earlier. Seth merely stood near Marissa, looking torn as to what to do.

"Shit, I gotta go." Ryan said to Marco, not bothering to look at his new friend as he strode quickly toward the patio.

As he approached, Seth moved over next to Summer, and was now saying something to the guy too. He was brushed off, and stepped back, defeated. Ryan was close enough now to make out some of what the Hispanic guy was saying, even over the din of the party.

"What, you too good for me?" He asked Summer, who was glaring at him defiantly.

"Hmm, yeah, pretty much."

The guys friend laughed, leaning against the concrete barrier separating the patio from the front lawn, where more people were partying. The creep didn't like Summer's answer at all, and he stepped forward forcefully. Summer unconsciously took a step back, fear trickling into her eyes. She had grown up without being physically harmed, as far as Ryan knew, and didn't know how to react to violence. Her immediate reaction was to look over at Seth for support.

Ryan pushed a few people out of his way as he got to the glass door, preparing to step across the threshold and resolve it by any means necessary. There was no way in hell he was going to let some creep hit a girl, especially not a friend.

"Well, maybe I should take what I want then?" The guy said harshly, accenting the height difference between himself and Summer.

As Ryan slipped out onto the patio, preparing to grab the guys shoulder and yank him back, Seth did something _nobody_ saw coming.

He hit the guy, right in the face.

* * *

It was obvious that Seth had never punched somebody before. For though he closed his fist tight enough, he had pulled the blow a little at the last moment; A natural tendency that was hard to overcome. The punch landed on his chin, causing the guy to reel back and stumble. He hadn't been expecting it, that much was plain. However he recovered quickly, and took a handful of Seth's shirt before Summer's comic loving savior could react.

"Cohen!" Summer shouted, wincing in expectation of his pain.

The factor she hadn't counted on was Ryan. He stepped past Marissa, half pushing her back into the apartment. She obliged, slipping inside and out of the line of fire, though she was sick with worry for all three of her friends. Ryan cocked his arm back, and just as Seth was about to end up with a well placed bruise for his Grandfather's wedding, jammed his fist into the guy's kidneys.

He doubled over in pain, mouth opening wide as he struggled for breath. As soon as Ryan had hit him, he felt a pair of hands grabbing his shoulder roughly from behind. He had almost forgotten about the other guy that had been out there with them. Reacting by instinct instead of intelligence, Ryan spun, and slammed his elbow into the other guy's face. The grip on his shirt instantly loosed, and the Hispanic teenager was knocked back against what appeared to be a storage closet door of some kind.

Ryan could tell by the way he fell that he had been knocked out cold, and turned his attention back to the guy who had been harassing Summer. A blow to kidneys would hurt, but it wouldn't keep him from fighting back. Ryan turned just in time to see Seth, a mask of anger covering a normally laughing face, as he shoved the guy. The force from the push knocked the still recovering creep backwards, into the waist high patio wall. He toppled over it in a heap, into the bushes just outside.

Ryan was next to Seth then, watching as the guy stumbled up from the brush, clutching his jaw and side. He saw that his friend had been knocked unconscious, and decided that he was better off not ending up in the same state.

"You're dead man." He said, eyes locked onto Ryan more than Seth.

He turned and walked away, shoving some of the people that had gathered to watch the fight aside as he left.

"That hurt my hand a lot more than I thought it would." Seth said calmly, looking down and flexing his hand.

Marissa had come back onto the patio, and took Ryan's arm. She looked worried, though at the same time relieved. Nobody, on their end at least, had been hurt. It wasn't a bad end to the situation.

"Hey, Chino." Marco said quietly, stepping out onto the patio too.

Marco nodded behind him, and Ryan's gaze traveled to Brandy The Birthday Girl, as she spoke quickly into her cell phone. Ryan had no doubts about who she was talking to. The police would be along any minute.

"You should get out of here." Marco said, stepping out of the way to let him pass.

"Thanks man." He said, hitting Marco's fist with his own.

"No problem. I know not to get into a fight in Chino now."

Ryan smirked and took Marissa's hand, vaulting the concrete patio wall and the bushes next to it, waiting for the rest of them to follow. Seth and Summer were right behind him, and all four of them took off toward the Range Rover.

* * *

Sitting in darkness in his black Lexus, Oliver watched as the four teens ran from the house party to their SUV. From where he had parked he had seen everything, and he remained parked there until the police arrived. He then got out of the car, and walked to the apartment with a purpose.

* * *

"Seth starting a fight. _Now_ I've seen everything."

"I gotta say." Seth was driving again, with Summer up front and Marissa next to Ryan in the back. "I feel liberated."

"I think it was sweet. Don't you Summ?"

"Yeah."

Summer only said a word, but she stared intently at Seth as he concentrated on driving. She bit her lower lip hard, before reaching over and taking his hand, the one he had used to defend her honor, in her own. She brought it to her lips and kissed it, smiling inside at the flush of color that touched Seth's cheeks.

"Ryan Atwood and Seth Cohen." Seth said, letting go of the wheel to present his fist to Ryan. "White Knights."

Ryan punched his fist as Marissa slid up next to him, taking his free hand in her own. She leaned over and began to plant small kisses on his neck to show her appreciation for his defense of her best friend.

"So," Ryan began. "Who do you want to beat up now?"

"I think I've had my fill for tonight. I'm just going to ice my broken knuckles and watch some manly sport or another. Though maybe we could invite Oliver over. I think I've got a few left for him."

Summer kissed his hand again, before stroking it in her lap. Ryan smirked, wrapping his arm around Marissa as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Now we just gotta keep you from walking in on my boyfriend without clothes on." Marissa said lightly.

"And no more crying at chick flicks." Ryan commented.

"I told you, it was allergies."

"Sure thing buddy."

Summer remained quiet, as she had most of the night. She simply stared over at Seth, absently playing with his hand.

"I'm glad I convinced Captain Oats to come along." Seth said. "Have I got a story for him."

"Sometimes." Marissa said, laughing. "I wonder about you."

"I wonder daily." Ryan replied, smirking over at her.

* * *

Seth closed the door separating Ryan's room and his, having said goodnight to his friends. He shuffled over to the bed, dropping to sit on it and kick off his shoes. He was still shocked at his own actions. He'd never come out and hit somebody before, and before now he didn't know he had it in him.

Then again it wasn't for him, he realized, it was for Summer. Summer, who was currently doing whatever it was that girls do in the bathroom. Summer, who had ignored him all afternoon. Summer, who he had loved for as long as he could remember. It was only her that could change him so.

That realization, coupled with the conversation he had with her at the zoo, rocked him. He had changed as much as she had, and though he wasn't ashamed of the change, he could see now why it would scare her. She felt like she wasn't herself anymore. He understood that.

Summer stepped out of the bathroom wearing the silk slip that she had brought, white and falling to her thighs. Seth couldn't help but stare, even though he'd seen her with less on before. For some reason, seeing Summer a little covered up affected him more than if she were naked. Summer hesitated a few feet from him, biting her lip.

"Look Summer, I know what you were saying-" Seth began, only to be cut off.

She was on him in an instant, her lips stealing the next word of his sentence as she kissed him more forcefully than she ever had. The surprising nature of her actions knocked Seth to his back, and Summer straddled his waist, kissing him over and over again. Part of him wanted to stop her, and another part wanted to take her.

Finally, as Seth's lips began to get sore, Summer broke contact. She let her head fall onto his chest, both arms slipping under his. Seth didn't know how to react at first. He hadn't expected his girlfriend to maul him, so soon after not speaking to him. He wasn't prepared for that kind of change.

"Summer, um, what's going on?"

"Shut up Cohen." She said, her voice tender despite the order.

"Fair enough."

"When my parents split up." Summer began, taking a breath before she could continue. "It crushed me. I mean, I loved my mom, and I loved my dad. Then all of a sudden, they weren't together anymore. I didn't even know what divorce meant back then, only that it was a bad thing."

She leaned back a little, looking up into Seth's downturned face. He was frowning, puzzled at her immediate need to confide in him. As far as he could remember, Summer had never gone into detail about her family life before, except to make a quick comment here or there.

"I had to choose between my mom and dad, which was almost impossible for me. They both fought to be my favorite, and I didn't know how to cope with that. That's why I attached myself to being a certain way, and with certain people. I figured that if I acted the same and was friends with the same, then things couldn't change for the worse."

So that's what she was getting at. Seth stared down at her, unsure of whether or not to speak. She may have more to say, and he didn't want to interrupt her.

"Thank you." She said, kissing him again. "For tonight."

"I couldn't just stand there."

"I'm glad you didn't."

"Summer, change isn't always bad." Seth said quickly, staring down at her. "Look at the past year. Who would have thought that one of the most popular girls in school would end up dating the biggest misfit?"

Summer laughed lightly against him, kissing his chest lightly.

"You're not the only one who has changed." Seth continued, hoisting her up so they were face to face, Summer's hands planted on the bed. "I look forward to going to those stupid Newport parties now, because I'm with you. Hell, I risked getting my ass kicked by some scary Mexican. For you, Summer."

Summer stared down at him, biting her lip and searching his eyes with her own. He smiled, and she could see the change. It wasn't the shy, self depreciating smile that was the Seth Cohen trademark, but a full smile.

"I love you." She said, unable to stop herself.

Immediately regretting the outburst, Summer found herself blushing furiously. Her eyes went wide, mouth slipping open of it's own accord. She buried her head against Seth's chest, not willing to see the look on his face upon hearing her declaration. For a short moment of time she was terrified. She'd never admitted it to herself, let alone Seth. She'd never let herself think she more than liked him, but deep down, she knew she'd loved him for some time.

"I love you too." Seth said, kissing the top of her head.

Summer leaned back a little, letting the color drain from her cheeks as she gazed into his calm face. The moment seemed to stand still in time, as they simply stared at each other. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Seth went ahead and opened his mouth.

"So Summer," He said, tucking his tongue into his bottom lip. "How about that make-up sex?"

Summer laughed, hitting him lightly on the arm. He winced in a very Seth Cohen way. She leaned down, kissing him tenderly.

"For my White Knight? Anything."

* * *

"Some night." Ryan said, collapsing back onto the bed.

He folded both hands behind his head, resting on the pillow as Marissa shrugged out of her jeans. She turned off the lights in the hotel room, pulling back the sheets and crawling into bed to curl up next to her lover. She kissed him on the neck, rubbing her nose against his collarbone.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

"For what?" Ryan asked, looking down at her as his eyes adjusted to the ambient light coming through the closed blinds.

"For tonight. For tomorrow. For everything."

"It was nothing."

"You were ready to take both of them on, by yourself, for Summer's sake."

"I couldn't just let him get away with that. Besides, it was Seth who saved her day."

"And you saved Seth's."

"I'm always saving Seth."

"When you're not too busy saving me, that is."

"Saving you is second nature."

"And that's why I love you."

"I love you too."

Ryan was shocked the words came so easily. After all the hurt after the Oliver fiasco, he wasn't sure if he could ever feel the same about Marissa. Now here he was, admitting that he did to both her and himself. He felt Marissa move, her hand sliding up his black cotton shirt.

"My White Knight…"

Marissa moved up and pressed her lips gently against his, pulling the bottom of his shirt up to his chest. Then there were no more words.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I've had this scene in my head since I got done with Chapter Two. I just thought "Why doesn't Seth save the day for once, he's overdo for it.". So there you have it. Superhero Seth to the rescue. Now we see why Summer was so distant. I really enjoyed writing this, considering that I threw it all together in two hours of manic fingers over keyboard action. Please review, and tell me what you think.


	6. The Wheelman

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter Six: The Wheelman**

* * *

Ryan and Marissa woke face to face, and both found that they couldn't help but smile. It was the best way either could imagine waking. Despite the fact that they were sharing a bed, and then some, neither teen felt comfortable falling to sleep unclothed. So Ryan was wearing a pair of basketball shorts and Marissa was in a long tee shirt.

"Hey." Ryan said quietly.

"Hey."

For a long moment they simply lay there, staring into each others eyes. In Newport, it seemed like they had never had time to simply be with one another. There was always some drama going on, not that San Diego had turned out to be much different, and always interruptions. So they savored the moment, drinking in the scent of each other as they lay face to face in the mostly dark room.

"You hungry?" Ryan asked finally.

"Actually, I'm starving."

"I was thinking I could go pick us up some breakfast."

"That depends."

"On what?" Ryan asked, cocking his head to the side.

"On if you can spare a few minutes first." Marissa said, sliding over to lock her lips onto his.

They spent the next ten or so minutes in silence, holding, being held, and locking the weekend away in their memories. Neither wanted to go back to Newport just yet, but they still had school to contend with the next day. Though, had it been up to Ryan, they would have simply shut off Marissa's cell phone and skipped it.

Finally untangling himself from his girlfriend, Ryan clambered out of the bed. Marissa rolled over and watched him as he got dressed, trading his shorts for a pair of clean jeans and a gray shirt. Ryan then stepped over to the bed and kissed Marissa chastely.

"Do you think Seth and Summer will want anything?" Ryan inquired.

"It's only eight in the morning. They're probably still asleep."

"True. We'll make them get drive-thru." Ryan said with a smirk. "I'll be back soon baby."

Ryan turned and walked away, not noticing that Marissa had sat up in her bed, intently watching him leave. She was a little surprised and full of the tumbling rumbling feeling in her stomach. Ryan had never called her by anything but her first or last name. The casual affection from the term "baby" seemed so out of context coming from him. Yet, at the same time, the way he said it just fit. She collapsed back down on the pillow, unable to keep the smile off of her face.

* * *

Ryan had remembered seeing a small restaurant not far from the hotel the day before, and he walked through the cool California morning in the direction he remembered it to be. The chilly ocean breeze ruffled his hair and sent goosebumps across his flesh, but he didn't mind it. Even after so long in Newport, he still loved the tart scent of the ocean and ozone.

Ryan was lost in his thoughts, considering all the change that had gone on in his life. His arrival in Newport, which wasn't as well received as he would have liked. The Model Home, Cotillion, Tijuana, Harbour High, The Ferris Wheel, New Years Eve. All the great things that had happened before Oliver had come along. Granted, things had gotten better since he was gone, but it had seriously damaged his relationship with Marissa.

They were finally getting things back together, and here he was again. It almost seemed too much of a coincidence, like fate was conspiring against him. He didn't doubt that, seeing as how bad luck had seemed to follow him all the way from Chino. He didn't want to consider what could happen if Oliver got close to Marissa again.

Then a feeling of dread came over him. He had left his girlfriend in the hotel room, alone, with the door to the Seth's room tightly closed. She had probably gone back to sleep, making her even more vulnerable. Oliver could easily slip in with a card key, and have all the alone time he needed.

Ryan's eyes snapped up from the sidewalk, as he noticed somebody standing in front of him, not five feet away. A twinge of fear convinced him it was Oliver, smiling his sinister smile. He was surprised, but no less wary, to see that it wasn't Oliver at all.

It was the guy Seth had punched the night before.

"Little early for a stroll holmes." The guy said, licking his lips and glaring at Ryan.

"Look man, you don't want to do this."

"Oh, I really think I do." He replied, and Ryan immediately understood why.

Climbing out of a beat up Chevy Nova were three other guys, all looking just as pissed as the Mexican who had tried to assault Summer. Ryan knew he was in a bad way instantly. He had no chance of taking on all four of them. No chance in hell.

Ryan took a step back, his eyes wandering around for a way out. He could run back down the street, but they had wheels. They'd catch up to him in no time, and there weren't exactly alleys he could duck into to escape. He'd have to slow them down before he took off. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his chance.

"Look, I'd really like to stick around and talk this out," Ryan said, leaning to the left. "But I've got other plans."

He then jumped to the left, to the tables outside of the small café they were in front of. Snatching up a chair even as they rushed him, Ryan hurled it as hard as he could at the group. Two of them had the presence of mind to jump aside, and the chair hit the other two before they could jump him.

Then Ryan ran. He took off back the way he came, dodging and weaving around the few people that had gathered on the sidewalk. A backward glance revealed that all four ran after him, not realizing they could have jumped in their car and chased him that way. His plan had worked, he had pissed them off enough to cloud their judgement.

Ryan ran hard, but it seemed like they were gaining on him. Vaulting over a bench, Ryan took off into a crosswalk, praying that the don't walk sign wouldn't be the last thing he ever saw. Luckily he ran into the black sedan, instead of the other way around.

His knees struck the side of the car, just in front of the front wheel well, both hands instinctively slapping down on the hood. Behind him, his pursuers gained on him. Ryan was about to simply run around the car and keep going, but something made him look at the driver.

There, staring at Ryan from the inside of the Lexus, was Oliver.

Thoughts raced through Ryan's head. Something like this didn't seem to be Oliver's style, getting a bunch of thugs to pound on his rival. Yet here he was, watching on from the driver's seat of an expensive car. Ryan was about to go back to running, when he was surprised for the third time that morning.

"Get in." Oliver said, his window rolled down.

Ryan didn't have time to consider his options. It was either jump in the car with Oliver, or be beaten to within inches of his life. It was a simple choice, in retrospect. Sprinting in front and around the Lexus, Ryan jerked the door open and jumped in the passenger seat. Even as he closed the door Oliver took off, tires screeching as he turned and sped off.

Ryan spun in the seat, watching as the four thugs ran back toward their car. There was no way they'd make it in time to chase after him. For now, Ryan was safe. He could turn his attention to the issue at hand: Oliver.

"That was a close one." Oliver said, looking over at Ryan and smiling.

"Yeah." Was all Ryan could muster.

"What were they chasing you for?" Oliver asked, slowing the sedan and turning again.

"Seth hit one of them at this party last night. Apparently he's still pissed."

"Seth hit somebody? You're joking, right?"

Ryan almost laughed, until he realized who he was sitting next to. His face visibly hardened, and he narrowed his eyes at Oliver as he drove.

"How did you find me?"

"Actually, I saw you running from them as I was driving the other way. So I circled the block and came back."

"Why did you help me?"

"You needed help." Oliver said, shrugging as though it was no big deal.

Ryan glanced back again to ensure they weren't being followed. The two teens sat in silence for a moment, before Ryan thought of another issue that needed addressing.

"Aren't you on suicide watch?"

"I graduated to pills and therapy only." Oliver said, and Ryan sensed a very unfunny joke. "I snuck away from him. It's impossible to live with somebody watching you twenty-four-seven, you know what I mean?"

Ryan didn't, but he could imagine. He stared over at Oliver for awhile longer, as the black haired boy weaved through the area. He seemed to be quite skilled at avoiding a tail.

"Thanks." Ryan said finally, turning to look out the window.

"I have a little time before I have to be at therapy." Oliver said, glancing at his watch. "Want a ride to wherever you were headed?"

Ryan looked back over at Oliver, debating his offer. He didn't trust Oliver by any means, but the kid _had_ just saved his neck. Nothing bad could happen from Ryan getting a ride to and from the restaurant. Besides, if Oliver was with him, there was no possible way he could be sneaking into Ryan's hotel room, with Marissa. Now that he knew Ryan wasn't there with her, it would be a much better idea to stick with Oliver, for now.

"Sure."

* * *

Ryan walked casually back into the hotel lobby, chancing a glance back as Oliver pulled away. They had hardly spoken on the ride to the restaurant, and had exchanged only a sparse few more words enroute to the hotel. Ryan thanked Oliver again, even though it left a bad taste in his mouth, and carried the food into the hotel.

He considered all of this as he walked down the hallway to his room, thankful that meeting Oliver meant the boy hadn't a chance to slip in on Marissa. Ryan had been inattentive, and he'd left her alone. If anything had happened to Marissa, he would have never forgiven himself.

He slipped quietly inside, fear tugging at him. Perhaps Oliver still had time to drop in on Marissa before running into Ryan. He almost expected not to see his girlfriend when he walked in; Just an empty hotel room.

He was pleasantly disappointed. Marissa was sitting on the bed, wearing a pair of cotton shorts and one of his wife beaters. Next to her, having relinquished control of the remote, was Summer. Ryan nodded absently to the girls, which was returned with a wave from Summer and a worried look from Marissa. She could read his face like an open book.

"What's wrong?" She said, the concern evident in her voice.

It was at that moment that Seth arrived, looking disheveled like he always did in the morning. He definitely was more of a mid-day type of person. Ryan just shook his head at his girlfriend as though it was nothing, as Seth yawned and stretched.

"Ryan, you brought me breakfast, how thoughtful of you." Seth said, nodding his head.

"Actually, it's for Marissa."

Where Marissa could read Ryan's face, Seth could pick up on the slightest change in the inflection of his voice. Apparently what he heard made him curious enough to drop the subject of his lost breakfast and frown at Ryan.

"What's wrong man?"

Only Summer seemed oblivious to Ryan's tells, which was to be expected. They hadn't exactly been friends, and Summer didn't take the time to stop paying attention to herself and look at others.

"Oliver." Ryan said simply, as though that explained everything.

"Well, yeah, we know that. He's a first class psycho."

"No, I mean I ran into him."

"Where?" Marissa said, jumping up from the bed in an instant.

"You didn't pound him, did you?" Seth asked, before glancing down at Summer. "Because, you know, I wanted to get a few licks in."

"You've been in one fight, Cohen. You're not Rocky Balboa."

"Actually, Summer, I've been in several fights."

"Fighting to get the urine out of your shoes, maybe."

"No." Ryan said, placing the bag of food on the small table near the bed. "He actually kept _me_ from getting pounded."

"What?" All three of his friends spoke in unison, their disbelief becoming a common interest.

"I ran into that guy from last night, on the street. Only he wasn't alone. Oliver saw me from his car, and told me to get in."

"You got in a car with that nut job?" Seth said, appalled.

"It was either that or get my ass kicked."

"Still…" Seth retorted. "…he's a wack job. No offense, Marissa."

"None taken."

"It doesn't matter anyway." Ryan said dismissively. "So, have you guys planned out the day yet?"

Summer and Marissa looked at each other, as Marissa settled back down onto the bed. They smirked in devilish delight, before replying in unison.

"The beach!"

"You're kidding, right? We have beaches in Newport." Seth groaned.

"Yeah, but not San Diego beaches." Summer said, tossing her hair. "Besides, it's nice outside."

Ryan had to concede that point to her, even if he was inclined to agree with Seth.

"I'm not too fond of beaches either."

"You've gone to beach with me before." Marissa said pointedly.

"Balboa Bars on the pier aren't the beach." Ryan replied. "Besides, I've… never been in the ocean."

"Wait, are you joking?" Seth inquired. "Even I'm not _that_ much of a square."

"Yes you are." Summer chided in.

"I prefer to think of myself as more of a cube. I have depth, unlike some people I know."

"Geometry, ew. You're not afraid of water _too_, are you Chino?"

"Of course not." Ryan said defensively.

"Well then we're definitely going." Marissa said with finality.

It was then that Seth realized he had only fueled their resolve to get them to the beach, and kicked himself inwardly. Ryan just shrugged, his thoughts wandering back to Oliver, no matter how hard he tried to deny them. What the boy had done was almost decent, and it became much harder to hate him. He could distrust him, easy, but hating him was becoming a battle.

"Okay." Ryan said after a brief pause and a sigh. "The beach?"

"Can we at least stop for some breakfast?" Seth cut in. "I'm _starving_."

* * *

**Author's Note: **This chapter felt short when I wrote it, but it turned to be a bit longer than some of my previous ones. Odd. Well, what's up with Oliver? He seems to have changed, but then why had he followed them to the party? _Is_ Ryan afraid of water? Questions with no answers, yet. Next chapter will be at the beach.


	7. The Beach

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter Seven: The Beach**

* * *

Ryan definitely wasn't the most fond of beaches, but he couldn't deny that he was having fun. He hadn't brought anything to wear to a pool, let alone the beach, but Seth had taken care of that. Ryan Atwood was in _board shorts_, an event that he'd never once considered. Summer's influence on Seth was quite obvious, as he'd brought not only one pair of board shorts for himself, but_ two_.

They had driven to Ocean Beach, parking in a small lot near a public restroom that didn't smell all that pleasant. The girls had practically dragged their less enthusiastic boyfriends onto the beach, and the first thing Ryan noticed was that they had stepped onto Hippy Beach. All along the concrete wall separating the beach from the shops of Ocean Beach were beatniks and headband clad wayfarers.

He couldn't help but smile as Marissa yanked him onto the sand, tugging incessantly. The first order of business, agreed upon by all three of his friends, was to throw him into the ocean. It had begun with Seth, still feeling pretty big about his fight, declaring that _he_ was going to force Ryan into the water. Ryan dared him to try.

So now here he was, struggling against three pairs of hands as they propelled him toward the softly breaking waves. Even as much as he fought, he knew it was in vain. He was stronger than all three, but factoring in Marissa's potential pouting and Summer related rage blackouts, he struggled feebly. The fact that he was smiling tipped his hand.

When they finally reached the water, all three shoved him with a force that surprised him, and Ryan found himself toppling into the chilly ocean. He hadn't tasted salt water before, and it threw him off. He didn't realize the water would be so cold, and felt himself shivering even as Marissa jumped in after him. When she surfaced she met a Ryan made wave with her mouth, sputtering and coughing.

"Ryan!" She shouted, laughing.

Ryan couldn't help but grin at her, as he glanced at Seth and Summer. They were wrestling, knee deep in water, to see who would be the first to get their hair wet. Summer, as small as she was, was infinitely stronger than appearances let on. Seth didn't stand a chance. He went down with less grace than even Ryan had, falling backward as a wave washed over him. He got his revenge upon surfacing though, dragging Summer down by the waist even as she yelled his last name loud enough to draw a handful of looks their way.

The four of them frolicked, or so Ryan's one-sided relationship with a thesaurus said, like children. He relished it, because it seemed so often that none of them were allowed to be kids. And they _were_, when it came down to it. Take away the drama, and they were all just teenagers, who should be allowed to do teenage things. They were simply The Geek, The Outsider, The Valley Girl, and The Girl Next Door.

It was more fun than Ryan had ever had in any kind of water, despite the cold. The four of them decided to move out further, and raced. Surprisingly Marissa won, showing that she had a skill for swimming that none of them knew about. Now, standing in deeper water, they simply enjoyed the presence of each other. Each wave pushed them a little closer toward shore, but they had plenty of time to just relax, and talk.

"I can't believe this is your first time in the ocean." Seth said, shaking his head. "You spent _your whole life_ in California."

"I spent my whole life in Chino. The closest thing we had there were kiddie pools."

"You know I could just picture you splashing around in a kid's pool." Marissa said, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Hey, it got hot."

"Summer, you've been especially quiet today, are you sick?" Seth said, splashing water at his girlfriend playfully.

"Well, you've been especially, um, shut up Cohen." She countered lamely.

"Your wit never ceases to amaze me, my love."

"I was just thinking." Summer said, biting her lip. "This is fun."

Seth raised his eyebrows at her, and Ryan and Marissa shot her worried glances. Seldom did Summer consider anything that wasn't related to waxing or tanning fun. This revelation shocked them into momentary silence. It only took a moment for Summer to glare, somehow, at all three of them.

"What're you staring at?" She said, scowling.

"Nothing." Ryan said quickly.

"Of course, nothing." Marissa agreed, laughing and locking lips with her boyfriend.

"Cohen, get over here and kiss me!"

"Ah, my little romantic."

"You're not kissing!"

Seth smirked, making a show of dog paddling toward her. Summer couldn't help but laugh, and when he reached her she practically jumped on him. Both her legs hooked around his waist, and Seth found it easy to hold her smaller body up, even without the water helping him. For a long time, as the smooth waves gently shoved them back to the shore, the four of them simply held their respective partners, joined at the mouth.

When finally they reached water that didn't go above their waists, Summer detached herself, dropping into water that came up a little higher on her. She grabbed Seth's hand and pulled roughly, coaxing him toward the sand.

"C'mon, I'm cold."

Ryan and Marissa untangled soon after, and followed their friends out of the water and back onto the beach. Ryan glanced over as Marissa took his hand, absently rubbing his palm with her thumb. It tickled, but he didn't let it show. He was just happy that she seemed to have completely forgotten that her Stepfather was about to be Seth's Grandfather, or that her Mother had done the dirty with her Ex-Boyfriend. So long as Ryan could, he would prolong that.

* * *

They had been sitting on their towels for over an hour, simply enjoying the sun, and engaging in people watching. Seth and Summer soon discovered that they shared the same hobby, and were giving a running commentary on about every person that crossed in front of them. Ryan and Marissa had joined their towels together, and lay propped on their elbows, side by side.

"Yeah, he's definitely gay." Summer stated, pointing straight at a dark haired teen.

"Summer, it's rude to point." Seth said, and was rewarded with a finger jab to the ribs.

"How do you know he's gay?" Ryan asked, clearly not seeing the sign he wore that said 'I like boys'.

"Look at the way he walks, his hands all loose. Limp wrists, Chino."

"I walk like..." Seth began, before he realized what implications his words would leave.

"I'm not wasting my time with you, am I?" Summer asked, raising an eyebrow beneath her Dior sunglasses. "Because I'm sure Luke's dad is available."

Seth scowled and shook his head, Marissa snorted in a most unattractive manner, and Ryan merely smirked. Making fun of Luke was okay now, because he'd said his peace, and had left on better terms than could be expected. Seeing as he cheated on Marissa with one of her best friends, and then had a fling with her mom.

"Oh, those two are cute." Summer said, pulling her shades down to get a better look.

Seth perked up at this, sitting up further to size both of the men up. They were quite obviously giving their attention solely to Summer and Marissa, ignoring the two guys that were sitting so close to them.

"Sailors." Seth said matter-of-factly.

"How can you tell?" Marissa asked, leaning forward to glance over at him.

"The haircut, and the way they walk. They're practically marching on the beach. Probably from some obscure state like Iowa or something."

"Iowa, ew. Are there even people _living_ in that state?"

"Why no, Summer, there's only cows and corn."

"That's what I _thought_."

"So what do you want to do tonight?" Marissa asked, as the "Sailors" walked out of sight.

"Let's go see a movie." Seth suggested, making it his first input in the weekend events.

"Cohen, they have movies in Newport."

"Yeah, but have any of you ever been to a drive-in?" Ryan asked, raising his eyebrows.

The three of them shook their heads slowly, and Ryan smirked. Finally he had done something they hadn't. Summer sat up completely, frowning at Ryan.

"So, what, do you just, like, drive into the theatre?"

"That would be the basic definition, wouldn't it?" Marissa said, smiling.

"Oh, Seth," Summer began, turning to her boyfriend. "I didn't know you had an equally sarcastic and unfunny sister!"

"Trust me, if she were _my _sister, she'd be wearing a lot more to the beach."

"What's wrong with my bikini? Summer's is more revealing."

"Yeah, but Summer has-"

"Watch it." Ryan said, cutting Seth off.

"-to look sexy for me. Or I might go run off with a cute San Diego girl." Seth recovered.

"More likely it'd be one of those Sailors." Marissa said harshely, nodding in the direction they had departed in.

* * *

The group had opted for lunch in Ocean Beach before heading back to their hotel. So they left the Range Rover parked by the beach, and walked up to the streets. Ryan and Marissa had been attached at the hip, and Seth and Summer spent the entire walk either stopping to make-out for a few seconds, or playing cat and mouse games. They walked the streets, both couples hand in hand, as they debated over what to eat.

"There's always Mexican food." Seth suggested.

"Not as many take-out Chinese joints as in Newport." Ryan commented, raising a single eyebrow.

"This close to Mexico, burritos rule the city." Seth said with a shrug.

"I want a big, fat burger."

"Summer, do you know what a big, fat burger leads to?"

"That better not be anything close to a weight joke, Cohen. Because do you know what that leads to?"

"And what is that, mi amor?"

"Rage blackout." Summer said sweetly, kissing Seth on the cheek.

"So!" Seth said with vigor. "Where do we get a big, fat burger?"

"Actually, that doesn't sound so bad." Ryan said, aiming the statement at his girlfriend.

"A burger place is fine, but I'm stealing fries." Marissa added her input vegetarian, and it was decided.

"Cohen! Get on the sidewalk, you retard. Hello, cars."

"Aww, your concern for me is sweet."

"I'm concerned about your brains getting splattered all over my clothes."

"Technically it's my shirt anyway."

Seth spoke the truth. It had come to a shock to all of them when, after Marissa had decided to steal one of Ryan's shirts and a pair of shorts to wear over her bikini, Summer had followed suit. Marissa often wore Ryan's clothes when it was just them, but never before had Summer picked anything of Seth's to wear. If it wasn't Prada, it wasn't Her, she had said before. The fact that she had taken a long button down shirt to wear floored all three of her friends.

"Look, there!" Summer said, pointing excitedly.

"Hodad's Burgers?" Ryan said, eyeing the joint.

"And it's on Newport Avenue." Summer said, pointing now at the street sign near them. "If that's not fate, I don't know what is."

"Let's check it out then." Seth stated, taking off across the street toward the burger joint.

He was the first to arrive, as the rest of them followed his leave and jogged across the street. Seth had stopped right in front of the small restaurant, reading some of the advertising.

"'Ho·dad'" He began. "'A person who does not surf, but who spends time at surfing beaches pretending to be a surfer.' My dad's used that term before, once or twice."

"I think it's perfect." Summer declared, tossing her hair and walking inside without waiting for any of them.

"'Open 24 hours, just not in a row. Under 99 billion served.'" Seth read, laughing. "My kind of sarcasm."

The three remaining teens walked inside and found Summer already deciding on her seat of choice. There weren't many other people eating there at the moment, so she had plenty to choose from. She sat at a table for four, raising both eyebrows and directing the rest of them to join her. Seth flopped down next to her, and Ryan and Marissa took up positions opposite of them.

"I like all the license plates on the wall, and the car… thing." Marissa said, looking around the room.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool." Ryan conceded, taking her hand.

"Less talk, more ordering!" Summer demanded, already browsing through their selection of burgers.

"Those burgers are _huge_." Seth noticed, glancing at another table, where two guys in board shorts struggled with theirs.

"Good." Summer said. "Because I am _starving_."

The four of them joked and talked throughout the entire meal, mostly at the fact that Seth was the only one who could fit his entire burger in his mouth. Coupled with walking in on Ryan half naked two days before, his heterosexual defense wasn't holding up too well.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I had fun writing this, though I got stumped halfway through. I just wanted to give the kids a chance to have fun at the beach, since in the first season at least I didn't see Ryan or Seth ever once enjoy it. And for the record, Hodad's is an actual burger place in Ocean Beach. I've eaten there a couple of times, and they rock. The Sailor joke was at my own expense. I'm in the Navy myself, and stationed in San Diego. And also from Iowa. Nothing is more humbling than the ability to make fun of yourself. Words of wisdom. Review! 


	8. The Cinematic Adventure

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter Eight: The Cinematic Adventure**

* * *

"Just how does one dress for this 'drive-in'?" Summer inquired, standing in the middle of Ryan and Marissa's room.

"Summer, it's a drive-in movie theatre, not Cotillion." Marissa said, laughing. "I'm betting jeans are fine."

"How do _you_ know, Coop? Could be an elegant establishment."

"Have you ever known Ryan to suggest anything 'elegant'?" Seth asked, raising an eyebrow from the chair next to the bed. "No offense man."

"Believe me, none taken."

"Well, fine! I'll wear jeans then!"

"You didn't bring jeans, did you Summer?" Marissa asked, already knowing the answer.

"Um, I brought skirts?" She said, biting her lip. "Cohen, I'm wearing your jeans!"

"What? Why? A skirt is just fine by me."

"Perv. I feel like jeans. You have jeans. Break bread." Summer declared.

"What does that even _mean_?" Seth shot back.

"You know, Jesus, last supper, duh." Summer tossed her hair off of her face. "Even you should know that, Jew Boy."

"There is this word we have in the English language, maybe you've heard of it? It's called 'share'. It is usually associated with the word 'please'."

"Seth!" She shouted, crossing both arms in front of her chest. "May I please borrow a pair of your jeans? Please."

"Wow, I can't believe that really worked! Can I get a pretty please?"

"Don't push your luck, Cohen." Though she said it just as sweetly as she had asked for his jeans, her glare spoke volumes.

"Right, jeans, got it." Seth said, getting up from the chair.

The two of them went back into their room, closing the door and getting ready for the movies. Ryan and Marissa still sat on the bed, unable to keep from smiling. They glanced at each other, and wordlessly kissed.

"We need to shower before we go." Marissa stated. "And I'm going first. You take girl showers."

"I like to lather." Ryan said, shrugging with one shoulder.

"Oh, that's what they call it?" Marissa laughed, pushing him back onto the bed.

She rose and walked toward the bathroom, gathering up the clothes she would be wearing as she went. She had just put them in the bathroom when a quiet knock sounded at the door. Her initial thought was that Seth had been kicked out of the room, as had happened before they went to the beach, and had to get in through their room, so she didn't hesitate to open the door.

"Summer throw you out of your own-" Marissa began, stopping in mid-sentence. "Oh, Oliver."

Ryan was up in a split second, crossing the room as fast as he could. He hadn't expected in a million years that Oliver would have the audacity to stroll right up to their room and knock. It threw Ryan off, for he had spent the entire weekend concocting ways that the troubled teen would try to sneak into their room.

"Hey, I was wondering if I could speak-" Oliver began, shifting nervously from one foot to the other.

"I have nothing to say to you." Marissa cut him off, scowling at the boy she had once trusted.

"I wanted to talk to Ryan."

His words caused Marissa's head to jerk back a little, as she was stuck between being put off and relieved. It definitely wasn't the response she had been expecting.

"Yeah?" Ryan said, placing a hand on Marissa's shoulder.

Marissa stepped back, not taking her eyes off of Oliver, and walked back toward the bed. Ryan stood at the door, not willing to allow Oliver to actually enter the room. He placed a hand on the jamb, making his intentions clear.

"I just… wanted to apologize." He said slowly, though his next words came out in a rush. "I never had a problem with you. I'm sorry that I put you what I put you through, both of you. I almost caused you to be kicked out of school and lose the woman you so clearly love. It was just that in my screwed up mind, I thought I was doing the right thing. I know that sounds stupid, but that's why they put me on meds, right? I know now that I was wrong, and, well, I'm sorry."

Oliver took a breath. Obviously he had rehearsed the speech, which implied that he truly did realize what he had done, and wanted to apologize for it. Ryan wasn't sure if he could trust a word of it, but he also knew he was able to see through Oliver when he had lied before. He had somewhat of a radar for it. And right now, his words weren't being picked up by it.

Ryan glanced back at Marissa, and saw her standing in confused silence, unsure of what to do with herself. She chanced a small smile at him, as though she knew he needed her support. Ryan had expected, as she had, that Oliver had come to talk to Marissa. He didn't know how to cope with being apologized to by someone he had thought he despised without end.

"I know we could never be friends." He said finally, slowly. "But I didn't want us to be enemies. The least I could do is let you know I didn't hate you, like you do me."

"I don't hate you, man." Ryan said calmly.

Oliver's smile was shy, and not self absorbed like it had been during the Trask Incident. He seemed genuinely pleased with the knowledge that Ryan didn't hate him. That shocked Ryan even further.

"Thanks." Oliver said, extending his hand to Ryan.

Ryan stared down at it for a long moment, unsure of what to do. He wouldn't trust Oliver, hell, he never _had_. But he did have respect for the courage it took for him to come face to face and apologize. He couldn't deny that Oliver deserved a second chance in life, as he had. He couldn't deny him at least some form of closure.

So Ryan shook his hand, firmly and respectfully. He didn't smile, like Oliver was, but remained solemn.

"Okay." Oliver said finally, releasing Ryan's grip and clapping his hands together. "You kids have fun."

With that, as suddenly as he had come, Oliver was gone. Without another word to Marissa, and without any of the creepiness that had so easily been picked up on by Ryan every time before. For a long moment Ryan stood there dumbfounded, until Marissa came up and took his hand. Then he shut the door, forced himself not to think about Oliver, and held his trembling girlfriend.

* * *

"Wait, so you actually shook his hand?" Seth asked, sounding positively scandalized.

"What was I supposed to do?" Ryan asked from the backseat, as Seth parked the Range Rover.

They had driven down to Imperial Beach, just north of the Mexico border, to the drive-in theatre there. Old fashioned drive-ins were few and far between, and Ryan had been lucky enough to be able to enjoy them as a child. The three Newport teens, however, had not yet been graced with the experience that was the drive-in. Ryan had instructed Seth to back the SUV into the parking slot, so that the rear end was facing the screen.

"Well, you could have slammed the door into his crazy face, for one." Seth said, still talking about Oliver.

"He seemed… different." Marissa said, both hands holding one of Ryan's.

"He did. I don't trust him, but it looks like he's changed for the better."

"I choose not to believe that."

"You were sure fond of him when he gave you backstage passes to Rooney." Marissa pointed out.

"Well, yeah, because he wasn't a whack job then."

"He was always crazy, Seth, it didn't happen _after_ you got nice things from him." Ryan replied.

Seth turned to look over at his girlfriend in the passenger seat, who had her tongue protruding between her lips in concentration. She was staring at the back of her ticket, apparently reading something.

"Summer, what are you doing?" Seth asked, leaning over to try and read the ticket.

"Shush, Cohen, I'm figuring this out."

"Don't shush me, inferior sex."

It was a show of Summer's concentration that she only glared at him, where normally he would be in physical agony by now. In response to Summer's lack of physical brutality, Marissa leaned forward and punch Seth in the arm. He tried to act like it didn't hurt.

"It says here we have to turn the radio to this station." Summer said, holding up the ticket for Seth to see.

"Weird. Okay." He said, flipping through the digital display until he landed on the correct frequency.

Immediately the heard the sounds of the theatre through the car speakers. Seth laughed, obviously thinking it was about the coolest thing the Range Rover had ever done. He even leaned forward to plant a small kiss on the steering wheel.

"That's a good Rover."

"Freak." Summer replied, raising an eyebrow before turning to look at Ryan. "One problem, Chino. The screen is behind us."

"It is?" He asked, feigning ignorance, which Summer didn't buy. "Watch and learn."

Ryan climbed out of the SUV, circling to the back as his friends watched. He opened the large back door, motioning for Marissa to get out as well. She did as she was told, and he folded the back seats down on themselves. Now they understood why he had taken two blankets from the hotel rooms. The open door and folded seats made a perfect space to lay down.

"Ryan, sometimes your genius rivals even mine." Seth said, clapping.

"Don't call my boyfriend stupid." Marissa said sweetly, ignoring Seth's ineffective glare.

"Hey!" A voice sounded near them, making Marissa jump.

Ryan looked around, but didn't quite discern the source of the voice. He almost expected it to be Oliver, trying to jump ahead from the not being enemies part to the being friends one. Definitely wouldn't work, at least not for awhile.

"Yo, Chino." Came the voice again, and this time Ryan recognized it.

"Marco." He said, nodding as Marco approached him.

"Didn't expect to see you high class Newport types here." He said, smiling at Marissa as Seth and Summer got out of the Range Rover. "Let me guess, Ryan dragged you here?"

"Yeah, pretty much." She replied, smiling as well.

"You're Seth, right?" Marco asked, nodding.

"You remember?" Seth asked back.

"I'm good with names. But I didn't get yours." He stated, eyes locked on Summer.

"Oh, I'm Summer." She replied, not expecting to be spoken to.

"Summer. It fits, with you being hot and all." Marco said, nodding knowingly, before moving on.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry for not running to your aid last night, all of you. If I had known what was going on, I'd have been right behind you Ryan."

"It's cool."

"And Seth, that was one helluva punch."

"Yeah, I'm kind of a big deal." Seth said, shrugging it off.

"You know people." Marco replied with a smile, nodding to Ryan. "I wanted to say I was sorry to you, too, Summer. I don't know who brought those pricks there last night, but they won't be coming back."

"It's fine, but thank you."

Ryan, Marissa, and Seth turned as one to frown at her. Was _Summer Roberts_ thanking someone sincerely? It appeared so. The three of them got over their shellshock quickly, turning back to Marco.

"Oh, Ryan, I meant to tell you." He began, snapping his fingers. "After you guys left, and the cops were packing up, some kid showed up."

"What kid?"

"Didn't get his name. Scrawny, dark hair. Said he knew you, and asked if everything was okay."

"Oliver." Marissa said quietly.

"What the hell was doing following us?" Seth asked, his face contorting.

"Who knows." Ryan said, narrowing his eyes. "Did he ask anything about us?"

"No." Marco responded, shaking his head. "Just swung by to see if everything was okay."

"Maybe he was gonna apologize to you last night?" Marissa chanced, raising both eyebrows.

"Maybe…" Ryan trailed off.

"Well, I gotta head back to where my boys parked. Chino, if you're ever in the area and need a place to crash or just hang, you got my number."

"Thanks Chula." Ryan said with a smirk, clasping hands with Marco before he left.

"Why is it everywhere we turn, Oliver's there?" Summer asked nobody in particular, scoffing at the idea.

"Who cares." Said Ryan. "Let's just watch the movie."

The spread the blanket out across the back of the SUV, before climbing and snuggling into their pairings. The movie was full of laughs, jokes, and love.

* * *

**Author's Note:** This chapter isn't very long, but it has closure with Oliver, so it is important. I wrote it rather quickly, and I'd hate to say it, but we're getting toward the end of this little story. I was working on the last chapter tonight, when the network went down and lost all four pages I had already done. I was beyond furious.


	9. The Hidden Agenda

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter Nine: The Hidden Agenda**

* * *

"Do we have to go back to Newport?" Marissa asked, slipping closer to Ryan. "We could just skip school for a couple of days."

After the movie was over, they decided as one that they weren't quite ready for the drive back to Newport. Their things had already been packed away into the Range Rover, but nobody felt up to begin the return trip home. It was quickly decided that one more trip to the beach couldn't hurt. So now the four of them sat together next to a fire pit in Ocean Beach.

"I don't want to go back either, but we gotta." Ryan said with a sigh. "I'm not afraid of your mother, but I'd rather not get her riled up."

"The Julie Cooper is my whole reason for this trip." Seth said, tossing another piece of a broken pallet into the fire.

Seth had kept himself busy between stoking the fire he was thoroughly enjoying, and fighting for tongue dominance with Summer. They had made up well, though nobody really doubted that. It seemed that after every argument the two of them couldn't get enough of each other.

"Cohen, I'm gonna laugh when you fall in that pit."

"I have far too many ninja-like acrobatics at my disposal. I could backflip over this pathetic fire."

Seth flopped down in the sand, as Summer scooted between his legs. The sound of hand drums drifted over to them from a nearby fire, as the two couples fell into a comfortable silence. They had found a fire pit that was unoccupied, and claimed it as their own. The warm fire and cool night breeze made for a near perfect end to a near perfect little vacation. Nobody was looking forward to going back to the Newport Drama Bubble.

"We have to do something like this again. Sometime this summer." Marissa said, her head resting on Ryan's shoulder.

"That's not a bad idea Coop. Next time let's go to Vegas!"

"Summer, I didn't know you liked The Vegas." Seth stated, leaning forward to look at his girlfriend.

"I love The Vegas." Summer said with enthusiasm. "We'll have to keep Chino away from the strippers though."

"I've never been to The Vegas." Ryan said, shrugging.

"Whoa, Ryan." Seth said, dumbstruck. "Never been in the ocean. Never been to The Vegas. I need to check you for a pulse, because I don't think you've ever lived."

"We could always go to Mexico." Marissa suggested lightly.

All eyes shifted to her, shocked into silence. For a moment nobody spoke, until Marissa finally lifted her head from Ryan's shoulder.

"I was joking."

"Oh, okay." Seth said uncomfortably. "The Vegas is nicer anyway."

"I dunno." Ryan cut in. "Cancun is pretty cool."

"Wait, you've been to Cancun, but never Vegas?" Seth inquired, shaking his head.

"My dad took me when I was a kid. Of course, he left me at the hotel to go out after some of those stippers that Summer has on her mind. So I went exploring."

"Right, anyway." Summer went on, rolling her eyes. "We can get a couple rooms in Vegas, and hit the strip. We might be able to get into Coyote Ugly this time Coop!"

"Last time they caught us with Fake IDs. Almost called the cops." Marissa explained to Ryan.

"The last time you went to Vegas was, what, last June?" Seth asked, resting his head on Summer's shoulder from behind.

"Cohen, were you stalking me your _entire life_?"

"No." Seth said quickly. "I just remember when you showed up at Marissa's, and began spouting off about how much fun it was going to be. Not my fault you've got a big mouth. Though it _does_ come in handy."

"See if you ever find out again."

"Okay, guys, way too much information." Marissa said, holding up both hands for them to stop.

They already had, however. Summer and Seth sat kissing, their mini argument already forgotten. Ryan wondered briefly how they could do that. How their relationship could be a fight one minute, and a sappy love story the next. The entire concept gave him a headache.

"We should get back." Marissa commented, standing.

"Yeah. School tomorrow." Ryan stood as well, giving Seth and Summer no options but to pull apart and drag themselves away from the fire.

* * *

From his position in the shadows of the lifeguard tower, Oliver had a clear view of the firelit foursome. He bit down on his cheek every time Ryan and Marissa had any sort of contact, even when it was as innocent as a playful shove. After all his work, after all that he had offered to Marissa, she had turned back to the delinquent. He was better than Ryan, he knew it. He would prove it.

His cell phone vibrated as the four of them got up to leave, and Oliver slipped it from his pocket and answered immediately.

"Yes, I'm ready." He said, watching as the Newport Kids made their way back to the Range Rover.

"No kidding?" He asked into the phone, not taking his eyes off of Ryan and Marissa.

He began to jot down the information provided to him on a small pad of paper, nodding as he listened to his contact.

"So the Man of the Year just bought a new house, for his bride to be and future daughter in law?" Oliver inquired, a smile slipping up his face. "Excellent. Thank you."

He terminated the call, writing down the address of the new home. He stared at the pad for a long moment, only looking up to watch as Marissa climbed into the backseat with her 'boyfriend'. Oliver had changed, for the better. And it was time that he showed Marissa just how much.

* * *

It was almost two in the morning before Seth pulled the black SUV into his driveway. Despite the late hour, all four of them had remained awake the entire ride back, holding up steady conversation over the background music provided by the stereo.

"Home, bitter home." Seth said, opening the driver's side door and slipping out.

He and Ryan unloaded the luggage, though this time the girls were forced to carry some of their own bags. They crept into the large home as quietly as possible, their destination the pool house. He hoped he hadn't woken his parents, though it was quite likely they were already awake, sitting and waiting in their room for him to come home. He didn't much care. He would deal with their lecture in the morning. Well, later in the morning, at least.

They tossed the bags next to the door of the pool house, and immediately Ryan and Marissa collapsed onto the bed in the center of the room. Seth turned on a lamp next to the door before he and Summer flopped down near them, forcing Marissa to scoot to the edge of the bed to accommodate them. Seth and Ryan were side-by-side in the center, with their girlfriends drawn close to them on the outside.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Seth asked Summer in the mostly dark room.

"It doesn't matter. My dad's at a plastic surgeon convention until tomorrow night, and as long as I make it to school the Stepmonster won't even notice I'm gone. It's a miracle if she's awake by ten in the morning."

"Plastic surgeons have conventions? What do they talk about, the quality of new silicone?" Seth conceded.

"What about you?" Ryan asked Marissa. "You just wanna walk over to your mom's?"

"Why don't we just crash here? I'd rather avoid home for another night."

"I don't know how the parents would take that. House rules and all." Seth frowned, but didn't push the issue of either girl leaving.

"Don't be such a wuss, Cohen. Your perfect parents aren't opposed to a sleepover, are they?"

"I wouldn't know. I've never had a sleepover Summer."

"You've had a strange blonde guy living in your pool house for almost a year. I think that counts."

"Seth, move so I can shove your girlfriend off of my bed."

"Don't get your tanktop in a bunch, Chino. You know I like you. Or I wouldn't let you date my best friend." Summer said with a dazzling smile.

"I don't recall asking your permission Summ." Marissa asked, leaning up to look over at her friend.

"You didn't. But if you remember that bet from second grade, I own you."

"Shit." Marissa said, laughing. "I forgot about that."

"Do I want to know?" Ryan raised an eyebrow, obviously curious.

"I bet Summer that I could get Jake Ackles to ask me to be his Valentine first. I only lost because Summer assaulted him on the playground."

"I didn't _assault_ him! He made a move on _me_."

"Summer, you backed him against a tree and told him there would be "unending torment" if he didn't ask you."

"Wait, wait." Seth cut in. "Didn't Jake Ackles end up with a _boy_friend in seventh grade? Right before he moved to Sacramento, right?"

"He sure did." Marissa stated proudly, savoring the glare she got from Summer. "In fact, he didn't date another girl after that Valentines Day."

"You turned someone gay?" Ryan asked, laughing. "That's perfect."

"Can it Chino." Summer said scathingly, swinging a pillow his way, unable to keep a smile from forming.

The four of them lay there, talking and laughing, until they couldn't keep their eyes open anymore, and drifted off to sleep on Ryan's bed.

* * *

**Author's Note:** It seems Oliver hasn't become the saint that he appeared to be, doesn't it? What does he have in store for Marissa? One more chapter to this story, how sad. However, a sequel is already in the works. I'm holding off until I see at least the beginning of Season Two, to find out when I'm going to base it. Review! 


	10. The Cohen Kids

**The New Beginning**

**Chapter Ten: The Cohen Kids**

* * *

Kirsten couldn't bring herself to wake them. She didn't have the _heart_ for it. She had been standing in the doorway to the pool house so long her coffee had grown cold and stale, but still she couldn't do it. They looked so young, so achingly tender, that she didn't want to disturb them in any way. 

Ryan and Seth lay in the center of Ryan's bed, back to back. Facing away from them, on the edges of the double bed, were Marissa and Summer. Each of her sons had an arm draped tenderly over their respective girlfriend, holding fast to them. Kirsten simply stood and stared at them, unable to keep the smile from her face. There were house rules the forbid girlfriends from spending the night in either the pool house or Seth's room, and they had even been Kirsten's rules. Yet, now, she couldn't find a way to be angry with her kids.

Technically, only one of the four was actually hers. Yet she had considered them all her children for some time, without even realizing it. She would shelter any one of the three if they ever needed it, and would do anything she possible for them.

With Ryan it had been that day in lock-up. He had defended her without regard for his personal safety, when the Guards had slipped. Even after she had been the one to insist on him moving out, he tried to protect her. That moment she knew that Sandy had been right about him all along, and her motherly instincts had kicked in. She wasn't going to try and deny it: She loved Ryan, as if he were her own.

Kirsten had always watched out for Marissa, and tried to be helpful any way she could for the girl. Not just because she was Jimmy's but also because Kirsten had genuinely liked the girl since she was young. She had always tried to steer Marissa in the right direction, and had been silently pleased when she and Ryan began to see each other. They seemed to be what each other needed. Something solid in a world spinning out of control.

Then there was Summer. Kirsten had been initially wary of Summer Roberts. She had seemed to be shallow and more than a little conceited. But in time Summer had grown on her, and Kirsten could finally see what had made Seth fawn over her for so long. Though Summer would never admit it, she cared deeply for her friends. The fact that she would happily date a boy that was by anyone's standards a 'misfit' took away Kirsten's misgivings. Summer wouldn't break Seth's heart, not if she could ever help it.

Setting her cold cup of coffee down next to the still lit lamp, Kirsten stepped lightly into the room. The night before, when she had heard the front door open, she hadn't thought that Ryan and Seth had brought the girls in too. When she dropped into Seth's room and didn't see him when she got up in the morning, Kirsten almost panicked, before deciding to check the pool house. They had obviously opted to just crash on Ryan's bed, which meant the girls might want to go home before school to freshen up. It was still over two hours before they had to be to school, but being a woman, Kirsten knew how long it could take to get ready.

So she crept up next to the bed, crouching next to Summer. She didn't want to wake Seth and Ryan just yet, as they more or less sped through getting ready while trying not to be late for school. Reaching out, Kirsten gently gripped Summer's shoulder.

"Summer." She whispered, pulling her robe tighter around her pajamas. "It's morning."

Slowly Summer's eyes opened, and immediately all pretense of sleep left them. Her brown eyes went wide and focused on Kirsten, and a raised finger to the lips told her to stay quiet.

"Mrs. Cohen, I'm so sorry." Summer whispered quickly. "I know the rules, but we were just so tired after the trip…"

"It's okay, Summer." Kirsten said reassuringly. "I think we can bend the rules just this once."

Summer smiled shyly, showing Kirsten an aspect of her that was often overlooked.

"I thought you girls might want to go home and shower before school. Or you could shower here."

"I have clean clothes here, but I should wake Coop." Summer answered.

Kirsten moved back to the door, while Summer untangled herself from Seth. Seth frowned, obviously not liking being separated from her, even in sleep. Kirsten almost laughed, but knew it might wake the boys. Summer rolled lithely off of the bed, slipping around to the other side to wake Marissa. After a few shakes and hushed words, Marissa had managed to slide off the bed without waking Ryan either.

Both girls made their way, almost sheepishly, to Kirsten. Marissa stopped shy of her, and Kirsten swore she almost saw the girl blush.

"Do you think I could shower here too? I'd rather not have to go to my mom's right now…"

"Of course Marissa. I think I understand _completely_." Kirsten replied with a knowing smile.

"Thanks."

It was so weird to think that soon they would be related. In laws. Kirsten still had trouble wrapping her mind around it, and the entire concept must be blowing Marissa away. It wasn't so hard for Kirsten to cope with it, however, as she already considered Marissa to be more than her friend's daughter.

A rustling on the bed drew their attention. Turning to the sound, they saw Ryan groping absently behind him, still asleep. He seemed to be searching for Marissa. After a moment he rolled over, and did something that almost caused all three women to burst out laughing.

He draped his arm over Seth's side, scooting closer to him without even realizing it.

"Oh, my God." Marissa said, covering her mouth to keep from laughing.

Summer was already digging into her pocket, and in but a moment produced her cell phone. Marissa caught on instantly, snatching hers out and flipping it open. They were setting up for a couple cellular camera shots, that much Kirsten knew.

"Hold on, I need to turn my flash on." Summer said, snickering.

"They look so _cute_."

"In the interest of their dignity, I should be stopping this." Kirsten began. "But this is far too funny."

"Okay." Summer whispered. "My flash is on. On three, okay Coop?"

"One." Marissa said quietly.

"Two." Summer replied.

"Three." Kirsten said with finality.

Both flashes went off at once, a faint shutter sound heralding the photos being taken. The flash, followed by an eruption of laughter from the three women, was enough to rouse Seth and Ryan.

For a moment Ryan didn't know what was happening, until he seemed to notice the unruly mop of black curls in front of him. Seth caught on immediately, eyes widening as he felt an arm over him. He practically bound from the bed, falling onto the floor of the pool house in a heap. Ryan sat up, sleep draining quickly from his face as realization washed over him. He had been cuddling with his surrogate brother.

"And here we had been wondering about Seth all this time." Summer commented. "When it turns out to be _you_ we need to keep an eye on, Ryan."

Marissa couldn't stop laughing long enough to speak, and Kirsten herself found that she was hit with a fit of the giggles; Something that hadn't happened to her in years.

"You can use Ryan's shower. So long as I get a copy of those pictures." Kirsten informed Marissa, who laughed the entire way to the pool house bathroom.

Summer and Kirsten turned and walked out of the pool house, leaving Seth and Ryan to sit and ponder what had just happened. After a long, awkward pause, Seth finally broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Not to sound gay or anything, but you smell nice."

* * *

Ryan and Seth were sitting at the island, munching absently on cereal out of the box, when Sandy walked in from his morning wave bashing. They looked slightly awkward, glancing at each other and laughing as he stepped into the kitchen. 

"Hey boys. How was your weekend?"

"Uh, it was good." Ryan said casually.

"Yeah? How'd it go with Oliver? You didn't rearrange his face, did you?"

"No, afraid not. Though Seth started a fight."

"Seth _Cohen_?" He said, turning his attention to his son. "Is this true?"

"Yeah, dad, I'm kind of a big deal."

"He knows people." Ryan concurred with a nod.

"You know better Seth."

"No choice dad. He was about to hit Summer."

"Oh." Sandy said, contemplating that. "You should have hit him a few more times then."

"Thank you, that's what I was thinking."

"Where's your mother?"

"Chatting with the girls while they get ready."

"Summer and Marissa are here?"

"Yeah, they pretty much took over the pool house." Ryan said, shrugging with one shoulder.

It was at that moment that the women of the house chose to enter, stifling a laugh upon seeing the distance Ryan and Seth were keeping from each other.

"I'm surprised not to see you in each others arms." Summer said, smirking. "Again."

Marissa burst out laughing, and even Kirsten sputtered before she stopped herself. Summer snatched the box of cereal away from Seth, grabbing a handful and tossing it into her mouth.

"Do I even want to know?" Sandy asked them all.

"No." Ryan and Seth said at once.

Of course, Summer wasn't going to leave it at that. She proudly walked over, flipped open her phone, and showed Sandy the new wallpaper on it. He sputtered out a laugh as well, coughing to try and cover it up.

"You guys look…"

"Cute?" Marissa tried.

"Adorable." Kirsten corrected.

"Disturbing?" Summer finished.

Marissa couldn't help but laugh at the exchange. She was beginning to think that this marriage wouldn't be quite so bad. She'd be related to the Cohen's, though she wasn't sure how, and that didn't seem like a downside at all. Besides, Ryan was here. That was enough for her.

"You kids ready? You're going to be late." Sandy stated, glancing at his watch.

The four of them hustled out the front door, bantering back and forth as they exited. For a long moment neither Sandy nor Kirsten spoke. They simply stared at each other. Finally, Kirsten walked across the kitchen, and leaned over to kiss her husband fiercely. They held the contact for a long moment, before it finally broke.

"What was that for?"

"For being such a wonderful father for the kids."

"Kids? I thought we only had one."

"Actually," Kirsten replied, kissing her husband chastely. "I think we've got four."

* * *

**Author's Note:** That's it. The end. I'm not sure if I want to change anything about the last half of this chapter, but I'm thinking so. I may just edit it and repost it, so be prepared for that possibility. There is a sequel in the works, which I hope is as well received as this one was. I want to thank everyone who reviewed my work, both with praise and criticism. It's come to my attention that some didn't fully approve of the "Oliver reverting back to his old ways" thing. This time around, from my writer's perspective, he's changed some. Which will become evident in the sequel. However, he was ALWAYS stalker-esque. He insisted on seeing Marissa all the time, and even transferred to Harbor to follow her around. That is pretty much the definition of a stalker. That and he had a restraining order put on him by another girl. But again, thank you for the reviews and support. You're the motivation for me to keep writing. 


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